Press Release

Liverpool hosts the 2007 Sea and Water’s water-freight transport conference

16 March 2007

Sea and Water, the promotional body to highlight the benefits of water-freight-transport has called on logistics and corporate and social responsibility managers to hear the case for using water-freight transport within the UK at its annual conference: Promoting water as the environmental-freight solution. 

The annual conference and dinner is taking place at the Merseyside Maritime Museum on Tuesday, 24 April 2007.   It is the first time that Sea and Water has held its conference in Liverpool and the conference line up reflects the scope and the importance that water-freight transport plays in the British economy.

Speakers at the conference include:  

  • Dr Alice Bows of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change
  • Michael Forde and Gary Hill of Kingsland Wines who are currently trialling wine on the Manchester Ship Canal for supermarket giant, Tesco.
  • Det Inspector Martin Butterworth, Operation Grafton, Metropolitan Police about effective policing and ways of minimising the security pressures of high-value cargoes.
  • Bo Lerenius, President of Sea and Water
  • Lord Berkeley the Chair of the Rail Freight Group
  • Duncan Buchanan the recently appointed Head of Sustainable Logistics Policy at the Department for Transport.
  • Frank Robotham the Marketing Director of Peel Ports Group; that own and operate the Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal.
  • David Rumble, Projects Manager, Bywaters (Commercial Waste and Recycling).
  • James Trimmer, Head of Planning and Partnerships, Port of London Authority
  • John Pomfret, member of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council
  • Paul Moore, Logistics Planning and Development Director, CEMEX
  • Mike Hatfield, MDS Transmodal

Dr Heather Leggate, Executive Director of Sea and Water, says this year’s conference breaks new ground for Sea and Water as it will provide delegates with a new understanding of the benefits to British Society that water freight transport offers.

“We urge logistics managers and advisers to attend this conference as they will learn first hand from some major corporates who, for the first time, are presented their cases for using water freight.  As the most environmentally sustainable mode of transport making a modal shift to water will help organisations meet their corporate and socially responsible targets; which their customers are calling for.”

Interested delegates are invited to confirm their seat at the conference by downloading an application form from contacting http://www.thewaterfront.co.uk/pdfs/current_conferences/Sea%20and%20Water%20Brochure.pdf

The conference has attracted wide sponsorship:

  • Main sponsor:  Bircham Dyson Bell
  • Evening reception:  Peel Ports Holdings PLC
  • Refreshment breaks:  Hill Dickinson
  • Evening dinner by Merseytravel.

The event is endorsed by the Inland Waterways Association, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Rail Freight Group and the media partner is Lloyd’s List.

Dave Pendleton, Business Development Director, of Mersey Maritime welcomed the conference coming to Liverpool as it is a win-win situation for both the local business community – the suppliers – and users of water freight transport.