Construction group BAM and dredging company Van Oord have been awarded a £75m contract by Peel Ports as part of a £300m scheme to create a new container terminal on the River Mersey in Liverpool.

Once completed, this new facility will accommodate some of the world’s largest container vessels. It will open for business in 2015.

The BAM-Van Oord consortium secured the contract against strong competition, Van Oord said in a statement.

BAM will design and build the 854 metre quay wall, the crane rails and supporting infrastructure such as new roads.

Van Oord will dredge soft materials from the River Mersey to create the berthing pocket.