Calls for UK Government to offer support to supply chain hit by closure of Holyhead port

The UK Government is being urged to offer support to the supply chain affected by the closure of Holyhead port.

On Tuesday (17 December) it was confirmed that the port would be closed until 15 January at the earliest, following damage sustained during Storm Darragh on 6 and 7 December.

The Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee at Westminster has written to the Government asking how it will help support those affected by the closure.

Critical 

In the letter, Ruth Jones MP asks the UK Government for information on how it is supporting business and workers affected, and how it will help the port to return to business.

“This closure comes at a critical time of year,” she writes, “with additional goods moving between the Republic of Ireland and the UK to meet Christmas demands, and people travelling to see their loved ones.”

“Local and national businesses face not only the additional cost of re-routing goods but also the potential loss of goods, for example perishable goods,” the Chair adds. “While some passengers and businesses will be able to reclaim some of their costs, there is no such support for the wider supply chain on Ynys Môn.”

She also raises the issues of those living in Holyhead who rely on the port for work or income. If the port remains closed until 15 January, many of these people will face financial difficulties over the winter period.

Terminal 3 

The ferry company Stena Line, which owns the Port of Holyhead, said that on December 6, during Storm Darragh, there were two incidents at the berth at Terminal 3. It said that this resulted in part of the structure collapsing and rendering it unusable.

It added that the damage is still being assessed and that it has taken the decision to keep the ferry berths closed until January 15 to “provide certainty” for passengers, freight customers and ferry operators.

It said that this was to allow people to make alternative arrangements ahead of the busiest time of the year.

Support

Following Tuesday’s announcement, Anglesey Council has offered to support Stena Line.

The Council’s Chief Executive, Dylan J. Williams, said, “We recognise that this is a challenging and uncertain time for all concerned, and that Stena Line is making every effort to rectify the damage, reopen the Port and minimise economic and community impacts.

Unfortunately, we now know that the ferry berths won’t reopen until January 15th, 2025, at the earliest.”

“Our commitment to working with Stena Line as a partner remains – not only with important investment opportunities, like Anglesey Freeport, but also during the difficult times. The County Council is committed to provide support or assistance in any way we can. We will also continue to co-operate fully with both Welsh and UK Governments.”

The County Council’s Economic Development Unit is also in the process of creating an online portal to engage with local businesses and assess the economic and employment impacts of the port closure on the Holyhead area. This will be launched in January 2025.

Council Leader and Economic Development portfolio holder, Councillor Gary Pritchard, said, “We welcome Stena Line’s continued commitment to Holyhead as a port and town. The port’s closure is having a significant impact on travel and freight movement regionally, nationally and internationally.

“In light of yesterday’s announcement that the Port will be closed until at least mid-January, I will be calling on the Welsh Government to support those businesses in the local supply chain which are being severely impacted by the closure; and on the UK Government to recognise the Port of Holyhead’s strategic importance.”

Cllr Pritchard added, “We all recognise the severity of this situation and hope to see the Port of Holyhead reopened as quickly as possible. But the safety of the travelling public and those working at the Port remains of paramount importance for us all.”