#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.