Shipping operator, WEC Lines this month is introducing a new direct service between Liverpool and Agadir in Morocco, offering a fast and green alternative for fresh produce importers when compared to overland trucking.

According to the Port of Liverpool, the new service is thought to be the first and is aimed at taking advantage of Morocco as the north African nation is overtaking Spain as one of the biggest suppliers of tomatoes to the UK.

• First-ever connection direct between the north-west of England and Agadir, Morocco
• WEC Lines expanding into refrigerated cargo tapping into UK tomato demand
• Service is part of three-way route including products for ex-pat community in the Canary Islands

Roger Megann, Managing Director of WEC Lines, said: “There’s a gap in the market here for wholesalers and supermarkets that want a choice for how they get fresh produce to the UK, because now they’ve only one option. We’re getting strong indications that there’s a demand for an alternative that reduces carbon emission, cost, and takes virtually the same amount of time.”

The service will use WEC’s existing fleet of vessels, as the Dutch container shipping company headquartered in Rotterdam, operates around 850 to 1000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent) unit containers. Some of these vessels are already used to ship UK refrigerated goods to tourists and ex-pat residents in the Canary Islands. They will now extend their route via Agadir before returning to the UK, with the potential for reefers to load in Spain and Portugal in addition to the dry cargoes.

Ian Cressey, Port Director at Peel Ports’ Port of Liverpool, added: “So many of the big wholesalers and retailers have their distribution centres in the Northwest, so it makes sense to ship the produce straight here, rather than clogging up the UK and mainland Europe’s roads.

Every container of fresh produce on a vessel is one more lorry avoiding unnecessary journeys, especially when you consider that many of the return trips will be empty.

To support the service, WEC is taking delivery of around 50 additional refrigerated units and is expecting to add further units to the fleet in the next phase.

Last year, Peel Ports surveyed more than 2,000 retail leaders. Three-quarters (76%) of participants stated they would opt to import goods closer to end destinations if they were given a choice on their port of entry by shipping lines, while 68% felt a better choice of ports would improve supply chain efficiencies.

The research also found more than half of retail leaders (51%) experience delays or bottlenecks in the supply chain, with almost a fifth (19%) claiming these delays are frequent. Most retail leaders (68%) felt importing goods via the north of England would help to prevent this.