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Displaying items by tag: 65th year celebration

To mark the 65th anniversary of the creation of the Port of Milford Haven, The First Minister of Wales (Mark Drakeford), the Welsh Secretary and the Chair of the Welsh Select Committee and more than 200 guests came together at a gala dinner to celebrate the milestone.

Representatives from the south Wales Port’s broad stakeholder base including clients, business and community partners, and current and future generations, attended the celebration which provided a moment to pause and reflect but also, importantly, to look forward.

During the evening, a short film was launched which captures the organisation's rich history, alongside a glimpse into the promising future that lies ahead, rooted in the evolution of the nationally critical assets along the Milford Haven Waterway and green industries click here 

Milford Haven is a major trust port, the largest port in Wales and the third biggest port in the UK. It plays a critical strategic role in supplying the country with fuel, gas and electricity, with major multi-million investments underway to create a green future. The Port also plays a fundamental role in attracting tourists to Pembrokeshire, while promoting enduring partnerships with many youth, community and environmental groups.

An impressive line-up of speakers set out a clear vision for the Waterway, for Pembrokeshire, and for the region as Wales embraces the opportunities created by a Net Zero future.

“From humble beginnings, the Port has been on a remarkable journey,” reflected Tom Sawyer, CEO of Port of Milford Haven, while expressing his gratitude to all those who have contributed to the journey at the special evening.

He added: “As we embark on the next leg of our journey, the gala dinner was an opportunity to pause, reflect and look to the future. Over the past 65 years, we’ve gone from a bustling naval dockyard and fishing port, to become the country’s premier energy port. With our local and global partners, the future is bright: rooted in cleaner fuels, cleaner energy and innovation, with the Haven Waterway acting as green centre for excellence. The century ahead promises a bright future for the generations ahead, based upon fulfilling employment and a just transition to a cleaner future.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “As the UK’s leading energy port, Milford Haven waterway’s contribution to Wales’s economy, and the UK’s energy security, cannot be overstated.  Milford Haven Port has been the foundation for so much of the region’s economic prosperity, with thousands of local people providing the skills to support our natural gas and petrochemical industries. Congratulations to everyone involved on the anniversary and I look forward to many more decades of the Port’s contribution to Wales.”

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “I was delighted to attend this celebration of 65 years of the success for the Port of Milford Haven. It’s now the foremost energy port in the UK – a remarkable achievement. And it was great to hear about the bright future for the Port as it continues to develop. I had the opportunity to set out the UK Government’s ambition for developing floating offshore wind the in Celtic sea, and the investments that we are making to support that vision. Of course the Port of Milford Haven will have a vital role to play in that future and I’d like to thank them for their continued hard work and investment in Wales.”

Also commenting on the port's milestone was the Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP, who said: “The Port is not just a part of Milford Haven; it is the beating heart of Milford Haven. It provides an identity and character to the town that is very special indeed. But it’s also a source of jobs and prosperity for the whole County of Pembrokeshire. So it is right that we celebrate this important milestone, while also looking ahead to the new opportunities that green energy will bring to the Haven. With the world once again facing a period of enormous economic and industrial change, the Port of Milford Haven is well placed to capture a new generation of investment and opportunities that will benefit local people.”

Published in Ports & Shipping

Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020