The Liverpool 2 job will bring some of the world’s largest container ships to the Mersey when it opens in 2015.

An OJEU notice was published today for the project

Developer Peel Ports Mersey Managing Director Gary Hodgson said: “There is no doubt that this facility represents a transformational project for the business. It will bring jobs and economic prosperity to the Merseyside region along with the rest of the North West.

“The scale of these benefits is recognised by the name Liverpool 2 – with the new terminal being the biggest boost to the area since the construction of the Liverpool ONE development in 2008.

“By any standard it is a significant development and a major investment. By commencing the procurement process today, we have shown our commitment to the building of Liverpool 2.

“Where possible, we will source goods and services locally, however when we need to source goods over a longer distance, we will seek to transport construction materials by sea directly to the Port.”

Construction work will include a new 854 metre quay wall, the in-filling of the newly created land-mass, the dredging of a new 16.5 metre deep berthing pocket adjacent to the quay wall, the installation of ship to shore quay cranes and modern cantilever rail mounted gantry cranes and associated supporting infrastructure works.

Peel Ports is looking for a principal contractor to oversee work and a specialist contractor to undertake a package of dredging, infilling and quay wall construction.

Further packages of work will be advertised during the second quarter of 2012, which will include design and consultancy services.

Work on the quay wall will require 30,000 metres3 of concrete, 15,000 metres of steel piles and 6,100 metres of new crane rails.

Dredging of the berthing pocket will remove around one million cubic metres of material from the Mersey and almost three million cubic metres of infill material will be required to create the new container area.

Associated infrastructure will require the construction of 3500 metres of new road, 230,000 sq metres of surfacing and 2500 metres of fencing.