A key port connecting Wales and Ireland has partially re-opened a month after it was closed due to storm damage.
Holyhead port off the coast of Anglesey in North Wales was closed after one of its ferry berths suffered damage during Storm Darragh on 6 and 7 December.
Part of the structure of the terminal collapsed during the storm, which brought winds of up to 78mph to Anglesey.
It prompted discussions between the Welsh and Irish governments and contingency plans were put in place, including additional services at ports such as Fishguard in Pembrokeshire.
What impact did the closure have?
It meant thousands of people who were travelling over Christmas had to make alternative plans, and it also impacted deliveries in the run-up to the festive period.
Exporters said they faced “significant challenges”, with Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, telling Sky News its members were “down about 60%” on their normal capacity.
Holyhead saw 1.6 million passengers travel between Wales and the Republic of Ireland in 2023 and 4.8 million tonnes of freight were handled at the port.
What caused the damage to the terminal?
A port spokesperson said two incidents affected the Terminal 3 berth on 6 and 7 December, resulting in part of the structure collapsing, which meant it was unusable.
Underwater inspections were carried out, once Storm Darragh had passed, to establish the scale of the damage to the berth.
But the Marine Accident Investigations Branch has said the information it had gathered “does not indicate any significant safety issues which would necessitate further investigation at this time”.
When will both ferry terminals re-open?
While one of the berths will re-open on Thursday, work is ongoing to re-open the second.
In the meantime, port owners Stena Line say ferry services will “operate on an adjusted timetable”.
A spokesperson for Holyhead Port said they plan to “facilitate a full schedule for both ferry operators from Terminal 5 on a temporary basis”.
As a result of the revised timetable, the port is confident there will be “no loss of capacity” and that there will be eight sailings every day.
“We will provide an update on a timeline for Terminal 3 as soon as possible,” the spokesperson added.
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What is the long-term future of the port?
Port owners Stena Line have said they “remain committed to the long-term resilience of Holyhead” and want to ensure a “sustainable future for the port”.
The Welsh government’s minister for transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, recently announced a taskforce to develop a strategy for the port’s future.
Speaking in the Senedd, he said it was time to “re-evaluate what Holyhead needs from all of its stakeholders over the longer term to not just survive, but to thrive”.
