The North Wales ferry port of Holyhead is preparing to resume operations on a regular schedule. The Ro-Ro port has been operating with a single berth since early December last year, following named storm Darragh. The particularly fierce weather system was instrumental in causing damage to the busiest part of the port, the skeletal structure that forms the main pair of Ro-Ro loading jetties.
Ever since the night of 6/7 December last year, the management of Holyhead and logistics operators on both sides of the Irish Sea have been waiting for the announcement that the port can resume normal operations. That day is just over six weeks from now, on 1 July.
Significant structural damage
Holyhead Port in North Wales is poised to resume full operations on 1 July, with the reopening of Terminal 3 (T3), following extensive repairs necessitated by damage from Storm Darragh in December 2024. Stena Line, the managers and a principal ferry operator at the port, has confirmed that the restoration of T3 will allow a return to its standard sailing timetable on the critical Dublin-Holyhead route.
The announcement marks the culmination of a challenging period for the port. Storm Darragh brought hurricane-force winds and high seas to the Irish Sea. The storm caused two separate vessels to strike part of T3’s structure, knocking one of its piles and a connecting structure into the sea and rendering it unusable. The port was closed for days, and re-opened with a single Ro-Ro berth, Terminal 5. Services operated on an adjusted timetable to accommodate the reduced capacity. The story was examined in detail in the April print edition of World Cargo News.
Satisfaction with progress
Such is the importance of Holyhead to the local economy that the Welsh government’s transport committee met in special session to debate the status of the port. The committee also examined evidence that ship contacts with the jetty structure, prior to the storm, may have contributed to the severity of the damage. However, restoration works have been carried out.
Johan Edelman, Stena Line’s Trade Director for Irish Sea South, expressed satisfaction with the progress. “We are pleased with the news that Holyhead Port plans to have T3 returned to operation on 1st July,” he said. “Whilst the frequency of our ferry services on the Dublin-Holyhead route has not been impacted by the closure of T3, we have had to make some adjustments to our sailing timetable. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our freight and travel customers for their understanding over the last number of months.”
Restore efficiency and reliability
Despite the Trade Director from Stena playing down the impact on the port’s operations, the closure of T3 had significant implications for UK-Ireland trade. Holyhead serves as a vital link in the east-west corridor, handling approximately sixty per cent of the freight traffic between the two countries. The disruption forced hauliers to divert to alternative ports, increasing transit times and costs. Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, noted that members were “down about 60%” on their normal capacity during the closure.
The impact on the UK side was not quite as severe, as Holyhead does not play such a pivotal role in overall UK trade. Nevertheless, the reopening of T3 is expected to restore efficiency and reliability to this crucial trade route. Stena Line has initiated communication with freight and travel customers regarding the updated schedules and will provide further information through its communications channels. The port’s full operational capacity is anticipated to bolster economic activity in the region, particularly as Holyhead continues to play a central role in UK-Ireland logistics and passenger transport.