Swansea and Port Talbot Docks History

Port Talbot Docks - Reopening

In 1998, after more than twentyfive years of inactivity, the old docks at Port Talbot were re-opened to handle coastwise cargoes of ground and granulated blast-furnace slag for Civil & Marine’s new cement works at Rio Tinto Wharf. Other cargoes handled in the docks have included timber, sand, stone, and heavy lifts. 



AAsheim arriving at Port Talbot


Russian vessel Kizhi discharging briquettes


Welsh Piper docking with a load of sand
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Sea Bird in the Dock


Nautica in the lock discharging her cargo


The following photos show the discharge of a heavy lift destined for TATA Steel, brought in by barge with the tug Willpower. 



pilot cutter Beaufort ready to returnthe pilot from the Tug Willpower to Swansea


Tug Dalegarth entering the locks to assist the heavy lift barge








Heaviest lift ever!

2019 saw the largest single lift to be carried out at Port Talbot locks, when a BOS Plant converter vessel for TATA Steel was discharged at the locks. Manufactured in Gdansk and shipped on the Oceanic, the converter vessel weighed 430 Tonnes!



ABP have made a short (2 minutes) video of the operation which can be viewed using the following link:

ABP Heavy Lift Video