PORT PENRHYN DOCKS
25 January 2011
Port Penrhyn is situated towards the North Eastern entrance to the Menai Straits, close to the small cathedral City of Bangor. It is positioned 053 degrees 14 minutes North, 004 degrees 07 minutes West.
The port is in the process of developing its commercial operations because of an expected growth in coastal shipping in the future. Environmentalists are increasing their lobbying efforts and have growing influence on Governments. National road systems are at breaking point, and Governments are finally trying to produce a coherent transport policy encompassing road, rail, air and sea movements.
A small coaster using a 700/1000 BHP engine can deliver 1000 tonnes plus of cargo in one lifting. Compare this with the number of 20/30 tonne trucks required to deliver the same load, each driven by engines of approximately 380 BHP. It is clear to see that using the coaster is far more cost effective in terms of fuel consumption. It also eases road congestion, will have reduced wear and tear and is far more environmentally friendly.
North Wales and the North West of England is renowned for its industry which has traditionally used the Port of Liverpool for the vast majority of raw material imports/exports. The expansion of Port Penrhyn will not only provide healthy competition to the benefit of industry, but it may also open up alternative means of transporting Welsh natural resources to large industrial centres.
Port Penrhyn Commercial Docks
Our on site facilities include:-
- Strengthened drying Grid for alongside work
- Cargo Handleing
- 215m working quayside
- Yard storage for over 300 boats
Lat. 53 deg. 14 min. North
Long. 004 deg. 07 min. West
South side of Menai Straits, near Bangor North Wales
Transport Connections:
Road: A55 Dual Carriageway Rail: Bangor (Intercity Station) 1km Air: Manchester (Int'l) 160km
Maximum size of vessel accepted:
LOA: 150m
Beam: 18m
Draft: 5.2m spring tide, 3.66m neaps
Pilotage:
Handling Facilities:
Compulsory for all vessels over 1500gt Stevedoring provided by private operators, mobile cranes brought in for each job. Maximum 100 tonne crane available locally, larger can be brought in if required.
Principal cargoes:
Sand, general cargo, slate (tiles, powder and granules), aggregates, rock armour, project cargoes (heavy lifts) including power station transformers up to 300 tonnes, windmill tower sections, salt, scrap metal, wood, etc. etc.
Port Penrhyn History
The history of Port Penrhyn can be traced back as early as 1713 when it was recorded that 14 shipments totalling 415,000 slates had been sent to Dublin. In 1720, another 8 shipments totalling 155,000 slates were sent to Dublin, two to Drogheda (20,000) and one to Belfast (35,000). Two years later, a shipment of 80,000 slates were sent to Dunkirk. After these few shipments only coastal traffic left from Aber-Cegin (Port Penrhyn) until Richard Pennant took over the ownership of Penrhyn Estates and appointed Benjamin Wyatt in 1786 as agent.
Wyatt addressed the problem of bringing slates from the quarry at Bethesda to Port Penrhyn by laying a rail line between the two sites. A stone wharf was built at the mouth of the River Cegin by 1790, it was further extended in 1829-30 and a final extension took place in 1855 with a breakwater on the eastern side, forming an inner basin; Port Penryhn was created.
Deadweight, or d.w.t., is the carrying capacity of a vessel viz fuel, stores, water, crew, and especially in the case of coasters, tankers and bulk carriers, cargo: i.e. the d.w.t. gives an indication of the total cargo certain types of vessels can carry. The size of vessels worked at that time ranged from 39tons to 87 tons d.w.t., and occasionally vessels of over 100 tons d.w.t. were handled. It is stated that the exports of roofing slate then averaged 250 tons per week, so the numbers of vessels using the port annually would have been considerable.
The vessels then were small sailing craft, fitted with schooner or other simple rigs, worked and crewed by perhaps a couple of men and a boy. The port was designed for such vessels, and manpower was cheap and vessels were inexpensive to buy and run. Competition existed in the coastal trades, but as cargoes were tiny and the market large, everyone managed to make a living.
Today's 'coastal' vessels are expensive to build and operate. They have to deal with bureaucracy which was undreamed of a century ago. They have to work and find cargoes for almost every day in the year in order to exist commercially.
The port is very interested in hearing from parties around the world and in the UK who are seeking new markets.
A small coaster today starts at around 1000-1500 tonnes d.w.t. and ranges up to 2000-3000 d.w.t. Vessels that regularly sail deepsea start at around 3000 d.w.t. up to above 6000 d.w.t. Port Penrhyn is suitable for the coastal vessels up to about 3000 d.w.t.
The MV Leendert Sr.,departing Port Penrhyn with a cargo of landscaping stone
For full details please contact:- Ian Williams Port Penrhyn
Tel: 01248 363400 / Email: port@dickies.co.uk
