#RuncornRecord – Manchester Ship Canal port of Runcorn Docks has smashed its monthly cargo record and doubled its freight handled over the past 12 months, writes the Liverppol Echo. 

The developments follow a multi-million pound investment by owner Peel Ports. 

In December, the facility dealt with 50,126 tonnes of cargo – its highest-ever monthly total.

The cumulative weight of the record shipment of cargo is equivalent to more than 31,420 Range Rover Evoques, 122m tins of beans.

In addition to the port handling more than 66.8m boxes of Kellogg's Cornflakes carried on Coastal Deniz as featured in a TV documentary 'Ade to Sea' during a regular shuttle service to Liverpool Docks.

In the same month, Runcorn also handled its biggest ever single shipment of cargo in its history, with the arrival of vessel Kristin C, which discharged 6,212 tonnes of soda ash for its customer Newport Industries.

The ash will be used to manufacture glass. For more on this story, click HERE.

Afloat.ie adds that during the era of the last Guinness stout-tankers, they used to call to Runcorn Docks to discharge the black stuff for the UK market.

The Irish connection continues to the present day in the form of Arklow Shipping, whose distinctive green hull coloured general cargoships call, among them Arklow Viking.

According to Ships Monthly, the 1999 built vessel in November called to Runcorn Salt Works to load 4,000 tonnes of salt for Figueria de Foz in Portugal.