Holyhead Port Fully Reopens After Storm Darragh Damage

One of Ireland’s most important sea trade routes is back at full capacity today following the full reopening of Holyhead Port in Wales. The port had been operating at reduced capacity since December 2024, when Storm Darragh caused significant structural damage to port infrastructure.

Storm Darragh battered Ireland and the UK in mid-December, bringing damaging gusts of over 120 km/h, widespread coastal flooding, and downed power lines.

In Ireland, the storm left tens of thousands without electricity and brought ferry and flight cancellations during one of the busiest travel weekends before Christmas. Holyhead Port bore the brunt of the storm on the Welsh coast, with berthing structures severely impacted, forcing temporary schedule changes and capacity reductions on the vital Dublin-Holyhead route.

Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Seán Canney, welcomed the development, calling it “a vital step in restoring resilience to our sea links.”

“I am very pleased to see both berths in Holyhead Port back in full operation today,” he said. “The route between Holyhead and Dublin is not only the shortest crossing between Ireland and the UK, but one of our most vital trade routes, offering smooth and efficient passenger and freight services.”

The repair and reopening mark the end of months of intensive work by local authorities, port operators, ferry companies, and the wider logistics sector. Minister Canney, who visited the port in March as part of the Irish Sea Resilience Task Force, praised the collaborative effort involved.

“This re-opening brings additional resilience to our sea connections, as we revert to the synchronised sailing schedules favoured by and aligned to the systems used in the logistics sector,” he added.

Today’s reopening is expected to ease pressure on freight and passenger traffic between Ireland and the UK ahead of the busy late-summer and autumn period.