It is interesting to see that Liverpool Produce Terminal (LPT) is now receiving direct fruit shipments from the Iberian peninsula, following various teething problems since the concept was first unveiled to the trade at the start of 2008.

FPJ has documented LPT’s story since its beginning and it is good to see the hard work that has been ploughed into the facility finally paying off for those who have stuck their necks out and backed the project from day one.

Shipping is a very competitive arena, in which the gain or loss of one or two key contracts can make or break a business.

This project, as with any fledgling initiative in the produce trade, has no doubt already attracted its sceptics. However, Liverpool has a long-standing port heritage and with 30 million consumers to serve in the North, there is a strong case for the role that LPT can play in eliminating CO2 emissions from road deliveries.

And with retailers looking to implement their own direct sourcing strategies - many of which are already in place - the presence of a logistical hub such as LPT in the North West could shape up to be a very interesting development indeed.

It is timely that this facility should get into full swing as we head to the North West for our next FPJ Conference on 3 June. A strong line-up of knowledgeable speakers is taking shape and programme details will be available on www.freshinfo.com within the next couple of weeks. Watch this space for more information.