Freight News, Sea


Welsh Government to set up Holyhead task-force; Stena announces timetable

[ January 9, 2025   //   ]

The Welsh Government is to set up a task force to maintain long-term stability for Holyhead Port, following its closure as a result of storm damage on 7 December.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates announced a new multi stakeholder task force on 7 January to help deliver a new strategy for the future of the key Irish Sea gateway.

It will be led by Ken Skates alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans and will work with the Irish Ministers for Transport, the UK Government and other key players in the Welsh and Irish ports and ferry industry to ensure the port meets future needs.

Ken Skates said: “The potential impacts of the closure over the Festive period on freight and passenger movements were very significant, with time-sensitive seasonal goods needing to reach market and people travelling home to their families for Christmas. We worked tirelessly with the Irish Government, the UK Government, Welsh ports, ferry companies and others to secure alternative routes for goods and people to get where they needed to go and I want to thank everyone for their efforts.

“We have always recognised the strategic significance of Holyhead, by our support for the Anglesey Freeport and our support to ensure that the port’s breakwater can be maintained so that the port can remain usable for many decades to come. I am also grateful for the recent assurance from Stena Ports that they remain committed to Holyhead’s long-term future. But I think the time is now right for us to re-evaluate what Holyhead needs from all of its stakeholders over the longer term, to not just survive, but to thrive.”

He said that the task force would consider the resilience of sea connections between Wales and Ireland more generally, so that critical transport links can better withstand the challenges expected from climate-driven changes in severe weather patterns and other hazards and threats.

Meanwhile, Stena Line said it currently plans to operate four daily sailings ex Holyhead at 04:00, 10:00, 16:00 and 22.15 from 16 January to 28 February when the Welsh port partially reopens, following storm damage on 7 December.
Irish Ferries also expects to restart operations at Holyhead’s Terminal 5 on that date.
Beyond this date, Stena says its schedule will be updated accordingly if needed when the timeline for a return to a two-berth operation at Holyhead becomes clear.
No date has been given for the reopening of Terminal 3, used by Stena Line, which suffered the most damage in the storm.
Irish Ferries is meanwhile operating additional capacity on the Rosslare/Pembroke route using the James Joyce and has been operating a Fishguard/Dublin for accompanied freight and cars.

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