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Jobs Legacy from Anglesey Aluminium At Risk of Meltdown?

21st September 2017
The chimney stack of Anglesey Aluminium, this is a familiar landmark which is visible from Snowdonia. Afloat adds that the former plant in north Wales outside Holyhead is from where exports were made through the port using an exclusive jetty. This structure is adjacent to where rivals Irish Ferries and Stena Line currently berth at Salt Island. The Port of Holyhead is operated by Stena Line Ports Ltd, who are the statutory harbour authority which also manages visiting cruiseships. The chimney stack of Anglesey Aluminium, this is a familiar landmark which is visible from Snowdonia. Afloat adds that the former plant in north Wales outside Holyhead is from where exports were made through the port using an exclusive jetty. This structure is adjacent to where rivals Irish Ferries and Stena Line currently berth at Salt Island. The Port of Holyhead is operated by Stena Line Ports Ltd, who are the statutory harbour authority which also manages visiting cruiseships. Credit: Eric Jones / Wikipedia

#ports&shipping - When the north Wales plant of Anglesey Aluminium closed its site in Holyhead there was a commitment of a ‘jobs’ legacy to bring new work into the port town.

The closure of smelting (2009) and then re-melt (2013) operations in the town writes The Daily Post took place after nearly 40 years and saw more than 500 well paid jobs lost.

Bosses at parent firm Rio Tinto said at the time that the sprawling site and surrounding land owned by the company could help create a bright jobs future.

The future certainly looked positive with two major schemes put forward.

On the site itself Lateral Power (later Orthios Power) proposed an ambitious 500 job biomass and food plant project while Land and Lakes unveiled a scheme to develop a £120m holiday village - creating up to 600 jobs.

But both schemes have suffered major setbacks recently that now put them at serious risk.

For more including photos of the former plant, click here.

Asides the vital role of the ferry industry contributing to the port town's economy, Afloat adds that the cruise-sector is another business that has seen large ships visit the port of up to around 110,000 gross tonnage.

These ships are those belonging to the 'Grand' class operated by US brand, Princess Cruises.  Among them is Caribean Princess which tends to make overnight cruise legs between Dublin Port and the Anglesey port.

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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