Eagle-eyed ship-spotters in Wales are used to seeing ferries coming in and out of Holyhead Port on and a daily basis, but this year they may have noticed more activity that usual. This is because the north Wales port has once again been busy hosting cruise ships arriving this summer.
So far in 2022 Holyhead Port has hosted 37 visits by cruise liners, with over 55,000 cruise passengers and providing significant boost to Welsh tourist sector and economy. However, this year they anchored in the bay and shipped their passengers ashore in small craft.
Stena Line Ports last week announced that in 2023 cruise liners will again be able to berth directly in the port again. This being made possible following an announcement of a deal to buy the former aluminium site in Holyhead, that also includes the multi-purpose deep water terminal at the port being taken over by the Swedish port operator. It will now allow the Company the ability to open the berth for cruise liners again after a four-year hiatus during the Pandemic.
The jetty was previously owned by a manufacturing company with a base in port, with cruise dockings being allowed under licence from them. Now with the jetty under the full control of Stena Line Ports the facility will be recommissioned. Meaning that during next year’s cruise season vessels will again be able to dock directly into the port, with the potential to cater for even more cruise passengers than ever before.
Commenting on the expansion of the company’s facilities at Holyhead Port, Ian Davies, Head of UK Port Authorities and Stena Line Ports said “the new deep-water jetty will provide an excellent option for cruise operators that plan on providing their passengers with the opportunity to explore the fabulous Welsh coastline and Snowdonia National Park next year. We look forward to returning to pre-pandemic levels when the jetty was last in operation with 52 cruise ships calling into the port in 2018, providing passengers with the ability to use Holyhead as convenient base to explore this picturesque part of the country.”
In the coming months Stena Line Ports will advise when the facility is to re-open. All cruise vessels have made current anchor/tender bookings will be offered the opportunity to switch to the berth.
