A freeport in Wales with tax breaks and simplified customs rules could be in place by next summer with bids being invited from (yesterday, 1 September).

After months of wrangling over funding the Welsh Government reached an agreement with the UK Government in May to establish a Freeports Programme in Wales.

UK Ministers agreed to provide up to £26 million of non-repayable starter funding for any freeport established in Wales, parity with the deals offered to each of the English and Scottish freeports.

There was also agreement both governments would act as a ‘partnership of equals’.

A freeport will be a special zone with the benefits of simplified customs procedures, relief on customs duties, tax benefits, and development flexibility.

There are three main objectives which must be met by applicants, with Holyhead among those bidding.

They are:

■ Promote regeneration and high-quality job creation.

■ Establish the Freeport as a national hub for global trade and investment.

■ Foster an innovative environment.

The Welsh Government has added some Wales specific dimensions. These include:

■ Trade union involvement in freeport governance structures.

■ Emphasis on the real living wage and lifting the wage floor.

North WalesLive reports on the bidding process and more. 

Accross the Irish Sea, the Welsh Government has reached an agreement with the UK Government on the establishment of Freeports in Wales with £26m in starter funding secured.

As North Wales Live revealed (earlier) this morning, the deal had been sealed after months of wrangling about funding and concerns about how a freeport would operate.

Now Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, has confirmed Welsh Ministers have agreed to support Freeport policies in Wales following the UK Government’s agreement to meet demands that UK Ministers provide at least £26m of non-repayable starter funding. This represents parity with the deals offered to the eight English Freeports.

UK Government’s Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove also confirmed the deal. He added: "The UK Government’s ambitious Freeports agenda will help to level up our coastal communities and create new opportunities for people right across the country."

Ports across Wales, including Holyhead, Milford Haven and Associated British Ports’ South Wales ports, have expressed an interest to securing freeport status and the next stage will be selecting a site.

For further details agreed in the freeport deal, North Wales Live reports and for more on the development.

A new Liverpool-China shipping service which is an initiative by DKT Allseas, is intended to provide relief to customers who are facing increased ocean freight rates, as well as, reduced reliability due to the knock-on impacts of the global pandemic.

The service will have a 28 day transit time and the vessels will be feeder size, rather than panama or larger.

This will offer multiple benefits to cargo owners as it will significantly reduce the chance of port delays, as there are no multi-port callings, and will ship directly into the heart of the UK market, where many of Allseas’ customers are located. It also offers guarantee that once space is booked, the cargo will be shipped.

Darren Wright, Managing Director Allseas Global Logistics said: “This service which is under our own direct charter, has been born out of necessity and frustration with the current supply and demand issue. By taking a progressive approach we can offer a guaranteed service, without deviation or additional Port calls from Shanghai and Ningbo into Liverpool, at a sensible price.

“We hope that the demand particularly by North UK customers, can support a longer term, frequent niche service from China direct into Liverpool.”

Port owner, Peel Ports, believe the new service will offer customers greater reliability and competitive freight options.

The Port of Liverpool is uniquely positioned to offer proximity to market benefits, which will allow goods to reach their end destination more reliably. This is a need which has been crucial in response to demand patterns that have been seen this year.

A port’s proximity to markets also has other indirect benefits, not only acting as a strategic gateway, but as a facilitator of supply chain activity, and as a catalyst for reducing carbon emissions of a journey.

DKT Allseas understand the importance of building supply chain resilience, moving away from the UK’s historical over reliance on southern ports, and moving their customer’s cargo entry point, to ports which are closer to the end destination

David Huck, Managing Director, Peel Ports said: “Cargo owners need assurance during these challenging times that their supply chain partners can be both reliable and provide innovative solutions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

“The Port of Liverpool continues to demonstrate its strength, agility and resiliency to relieve pressure on traditional routes and provide a gateway direct into the heart of the cargo owning community of the UK.