Plans for an ambitious multi-billion pound green freeport, which will create over 600 Lanarkshire jobs, have been launched.
Earlier this month we told you that a proposal for an air, sea and rail economic zone on the River Clyde was being finalised.
And Mossend International Railfreight Park next to Bellshill is set to be a major and key component in making the ambitious bid a reality.
The formal bid for the Clyde Green Freeport has now been submitted to the Scottish and UK governments by a partnership of Glasgow Airport, Peel Ports’ Clydeport, Mossend International Railfreight Park in North Lanarkshire and Glasgow City Region councils.
If successful, the local freight zone, which already operates an electric rail, would receive millions of pounds of investment to build additional rail lines and warehousing space for storing freight goods.
The substantial increase of goods coming into Mossend would create hundreds of jobs and boost the local economy.
The bid has already attracted support from many key businesses and organisations based or operating within Glasgow City Region including Caterpillar, Malcolm Group, SP Energy Networks, the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde, Morrison Construction and Loganair.
Andrew Stirling, Peter D Stirling Ltd and Mossend International Railfreight Park director, told Lanarkshire Live: "The new terminal at Mossend will be the first carbon free terminal in the UK, reducing the amount of HGVs coming through Scotland by 25 per cent, which will change logistics throughout Scotland and help considerably on the essential drive to net zero.
“The MIRP terminal, at capacity, will save 225,000 tonnes of carbon annually, which is two thirds of the Scottish Government’s present carbon reduction target.”
A green freeport is a large, zoned area within a defined boundary which includes a rail, sea or airport. Operators and businesses in the zone can benefit from a package of tax and other incentives.
Clyde Green Freeport would maximise the area’s transport network and facilities at Glasgow Airport, the freight interchange at Mossend and four deep-water ports on the River Clyde.
It would also make significant progress towards decarbonising the area’s transport infrastructure.
Mossend is home to a major rail freight hub and rail terminal. Clyde Green Freeport would see regeneration of 283 hectares of land through £17m of investment unlocked by tax benefits and, in the longer term, £300m to develop the site and create the infrastructure needed.
A new £44m high capacity, decarbonised rail interchange would be developed with eight 775m rail sidings served by two electric gantry cranes, electric rail shunters, cross docking facilities and associated road and rail access infrastructure.
In addition, there will be a net zero freight park consisting of 2.1 million square feet of manufacturing and logistics buildings and associated facilities.
This would meet the increasing demand for exports for all of Scotland and support modal shift from road to rail, saving 225,000 tonnes of carbon annually.
It would also create an opportunity for a manufacturing heavy vehicles hub, leading to £120m of investment, creating hundreds of jobs, as well as for the manufacturing, maintenance and operation of new innovative freight wagons, with an estimated £55m of investment.
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