Tranzaura CEO, Shane Mann, calls the logistics industry ‘resilient’ in overcoming the closure of Holyhead Port

The closure of Holyhead Port after Storm Darragh, at the end of 2024, had a significant impact on the logistics industry.

Haulage companies faced delays and longstanding queues at many British ports on the Irish Sea, pre-Christmas and into the new year.

Tranzaura CEO, Shane Mann, monitored the situation and gave insight into how the logistics industry dealt with the situation throughout the closure.

He outlined how some haulage operators were flying drivers into the UK to pick up cabs and collect trailers to move them to other ports, at the time, highlighting the lengths companies went to, to ensure operations continued.

Shane commented, “there is a huge operation going on. If your parcel does get to you for Christmas, it is due to these people working day and night.” – Irish Times.

Shane also praised the resilience of the industry, acknowledging the pressure that clients were under, as they faced such a huge logistical problem at a pivotal time of year.

He stated, “they’ve organised rerouting of ferries to different ports, rerouting their trucks on the way into those ports and working tirelessly with the port of Holyhead to take trailers stuck in Holyhead and get them out.”. – Virgin Media News, Monday December 16^th

He also said, “they’re amazing, heaven and earth is being moved, people are working night and day. If there’s an industry that’s capable of doing this, it is the logistics industry.”- RTÉ Radio 1 Drivetime.

Previously, the industry had dealt with other serious supply chain problems, most notably, during Covid, but this issue brought its own unique problems as it happened, at peak season, in the middle of the Christmas rush. For context, an estimated 1.3 billion shipments were estimated to be distributed to the UK between October and December 2024.

Holyhead is responsible for 60 per cent of the freight into Ireland, meaning that the backlog of shipping posed a significant challenge for the industry, going into the New Year.

Shane added, “Given the time of year, trying to find that extra capacity to solve the problem is a huge challenge.”- breakingnews.ie

There were also consequences of the closure, as Shane explained to Will on BBC Radio 4, that clients were experiencing significant rises cost increases, transporting goods between the UK and Ireland, at the time of the closure.

“One of our customers gave us an example of having to move, just up the road to Liverpool, had increased their costs of transport by 30%.”

With the partial reopening of Holyhead Port on January 16^th, it signalled a move in the right direction for the port, following a time of much uncertainty.

Shane spoke to Shane Beatty on Newstalk FM’s ‘Breakfast Briefing’ on the matter and highlighted how companies would continue alternative routes to ensure their operations continue, should the reopening not go as planned.

“The logistics industry is cautious by nature; they won’t pull the plug on those routes just yet”.

Calls had been made on the government to invest or buy a UK port to help safeguard future trade between Ireland and Britain.

As the reopening continues over the coming weeks and months, the impact of the closure is bound to continue. Stay tuned with Tranzaura, for more updates.