What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact on employment for Welsh seafarers, and dockers and on passenger and freight volumes as a result of Stena Line’s planned introduction of new ferries on Irish Sea routes from January 2020?
We recognise the importance of Welsh ports as sources of wealth, job creation and as a key contributor to national and regional economic growth. We welcome the introduction of additional ferry service capacity, which could lead to further growth at the ports and job opportunities within the local area.
The ports at Holyhead and Fishguard, owned by Stena Line, and their connected ferry services, are commercially operated and privately owned. This is the case with the majority of major ports operators in the UK, The Welsh Government does not assess the implications of commercial business decisions.
However, our Economic Action Plan sets out our expectations for business growth in Wales. The Economic Contract within the EAP defines the roles of Government and business, including how business will create prosperity, generate profits and drive opportunities for employment and training. As part of this, we expect businesses to commit to Fair Work (as defined by the Fair Work Board), and this would be a minimum requirement should Stena Line seek financial support from us in the future.