For cargo going to Manchester, Yorkshire, the North West and the Midlands, Liverpool can be far closer than the south and east coast ports, which cuts haulage cost and time. It's especially strong for North American trades and for links to Ireland.
More deep sea services call at Liverpool than many importers expect, so it's worth asking whether it's an option for your lane.
What moves through Liverpool
- Transatlantic imports and exports with the USA and Canada
- Deep sea containers for the North of England
- Freight to and from Ireland
- Bulk and project cargo through the wider port
How we handle containers at Liverpool
- Pre-advice: send us the container number, vessel and ETA at Liverpool, the delivery address and the gross weight.
- Customs clearance: we lodge the import declaration in-house, and duty and VAT are paid or deferred before release.
- Release and holds: we check the shipping line release and any customs, port health or carrier holds before a truck is sent.
- Collection: the container is collected from Liverpool on a booked slot and delivered at the time agreed with your site.
- Empty return: the empty goes back to the terminal or the depot the shipping line nominates, inside free time.
Delivery times from Liverpool
| Destination | Approximate distance | Typical driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester and Greater Manchester | 35 miles | 1–1.5 hours |
| Leeds and Yorkshire | 75 miles | 1.5–2 hours |
| Birmingham and the West Midlands | 100 miles | 2–2.5 hours |
| Newcastle and the North East | 160 miles | 3–3.5 hours |
| Glasgow | 220 miles | 4–4.5 hours |
| London | 220 miles | 4.5–5 hours |
Approximate. Times depend on traffic, terminal queues and driver hours.
Imports, exports and one point of contact
Whether you're importing through Liverpool or exporting from it, we can handle the sea freight, the customs entry and the haulage together, so you deal with one team rather than three. We're also happy to quote Liverpool haulage or clearance on its own. For freight to Ireland, Liverpool's ferry links can be combined with the container side.
Written by the 365 Freight team · Last reviewed . Rates, rules and schedules change, so we'll confirm the details for your shipment when we quote.