News

Milford Haven: New pilot boats ‘not fit for purpose’ [UPDATED]

Published

8 years ago

April 6, 2018

A MULTI-MILLION pound project to replace the pilot vessels at The Port of Milford Haven, Britain’s largest energy port, has run into trouble – after the three boats were deemed ‘unfit for purpose’ by some crew members.

The brand new vessels, which were built in Pembrokeshire by Mainstay Marine Solutions at a cost £3.6m, have been involved in incidents which have questioned the operational safety of the craft.

St Brides, the first of the 19m pilot boats, was delivered to the Port of Milford Haven on March 24, 2016.

When launched the boat was lauded by the Port of Milford Haven as being capable of reaching up to 14 knots (16.1 mph) with 12 persons on board.

The crafts are designed to be used extensively in heavy weather and are likely to operate in swells up to 5m in wave height.

According to the Port, the boats are able to withstand the impact of coming alongside large tankers in turbulent sea conditions, and provide a safe platform when transferring pilots to and from ships visiting the various terminals along the Milford Haven Waterway.

The three new vessels were intended to replace the Port’s ageing fleet of four: the ‘Skomer’ and ‘Picton’ which were delivered in 2007 and 2009 respectively in readiness for the arrival of LNG, the ‘Portunus’, and the Port’s oldest vessel the ‘Hakin’, which has been operating on the Haven since the early 1980s.

But incidents which have taken place in the last year have led to two of the new vessels being tied up in Milford Haven Docks on an ‘operational pause’ whist the Port keeps some of its remaining ageing vessels in operation.

Two of the old pilot boats, due to have been replaced, the Picton and the Skomer, were identified as being operational this week on vesselfinder.com

Tied up: Expensive new Pilot boats in ‘operational pause’

‘NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE’

A source close to the Port told The Pembrokeshire Herald, on condition of anonymity, that it was not long after the first boat, St Brides, was delivered that coxswains reported handling difficulties with the vessel.

“A cursory check over initially gave that vessel the all clear,” our contact explained.

“However, in July 2016, soon after the second vessel, the St Davids, was commissioned there was a serious accident in which the boat t-boned a gas tanker resulting in her front being crushed in by two feet.

“It’s been widely reported that she was at sea delivering pilots to the LNG carrier The Lijmiliya when it made hard contact with the ship.

“These boats were rushed out, are currently not fit for service.”

A Port press release at the time reads: “The impact was such that it resulted in three of the five Port of Milford Haven crew members who were on board at the time suffering injuries which were minor in nature but required hospital attention. All three are now recovering at home.

Our source told The Herald: “Two of the crew members who were injured were not able to return to active duty and no longer work for the Port Authority. It is my understanding that they are currently pursuing claims with the help of the union against their former employer.

“The severity of the LNG tanker incident was played down and, in my view, even covered over. One of the men badly smashed his arm; and an incident which shortened a vessel by 2 feet involving an LNG tanker is a serious one.”

“Have these crew members been hung out to dry with no money for their injuries only sick pay and whatever pension they have already earned.”

A SECOND SOURCE SPEAKS OUT

The claims made by our anonymous source were backed up by another employee of the Port of Milford Haven, who is currently a crew member on the pilot vessels.

He said that he believes that he and others working on the boat would never have faith in these new vessels, which have been rushed out and are underpowered.

There was no Marine Accident Investigation Branch probe into the incident in 2016 involving the LNG carrier. The Port, our source said, was allowed ‘to do its own internal investigation, which in my mind was not thorough enough, and tossed aside the facts’.

He continued: “I also know about a second incident, which was a near miss, involving another of the new boats, the St Govans.

“The vessel was underway when it was involved in a non-contact near miss with an oil tanker.

“When I say near miss, I mean near miss. The St Govans was just metres away from the tanker and those involved were severely shaken up.”

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch spokesperson said: “The St David incident was reported to us and we made enquiries, but did not conduct a full investigation. We receive between 1500 and 1800 reports of accidents of all types and severity each year. On average this leads to 30 separate investigations being launched.”

Assistant Harbourmaster John Warneford was on-board the pilot boat at the time.

Our source also told us: “The management of the Port Authority were told on many occasions that the specifications of the new vessels were not up to par. The main problem being that they are so underpowered, they are unsafe to use in high seas.

“We were also concerned about the fendering system. A previous problem with de-misters has been partially solved, with cold blowing de-misters being retrofitted.

“These are boats on the cheap, it’s about cutting corners, saving money, and bonuses for top management.”

PORT COMMENTS

Alec Don, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, told The Herald: “Our pilot boats perform some of the most challenging operations within the Port limits, transferring our pilots on and off ships that visit the UK’s biggest energy port throughout the year.

“The safety of our launch crews and of the pilots they carry is our principle concern. While all our launches are operational, the new ‘Saints Class’ are still operating under some restrictions. This is primarily while we evaluate handling characteristics, iron out any remaining snagging issues and fully understand the root cause of apparent performance differences to the satisfaction of both our marine department and the manufacturers.

“In parallel with this work we are taking the opportunity to review our operational procedures to ensure all avenues are exhaustively explored and addressed.”

VIDEO:

This video, made by the Port Authority and shared on Vimeo, demonstrates the challenges facing pilots, launches and their crews in high seas, and the importance of having sufficiently powered vessels.

British Robin departure from Milford Haven (Video Only) from Port of Milford Haven on Vimeo.

Community

Craig Flannery appointed as new Chief Fire Officer

Published

8 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID AND WEST WALES FIRE SERVICE LEADERSHIP CHANGE

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has announced the appointment of Craig Flannery as its new Chief Fire Officer, with effect from Monday, December 15, 2025.

Mr Flannery has served with the Service for more than twenty years, progressing through a wide range of middle management and senior leadership roles across both operational and non-operational departments.

During his career, he has been closely involved in strengthening operational delivery, risk management and organisational development. His work has included leading innovation in learning and development, overseeing the Service’s On-Call Improvement Programme, and driving investment in key enabling functions such as workforce development and information and communication technology.

The appointment followed a rigorous, multi-stage recruitment process led by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority. Candidates were assessed through structured interviews, strategic leadership exercises and scenario-based assessments designed to test operational judgement, organisational vision and the ability to lead a modern fire and rescue service.

External professional assessors were also engaged to provide independent scrutiny, ensuring the process met high standards of fairness, transparency and challenge.

Mr Flannery emerged as the strongest candidate, demonstrating clear strategic leadership capability, detailed organisational knowledge and a strong commitment to community safety and service improvement.

Councillor John Davies, Chair of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Craig brings a deep understanding of our Service and a clear vision for its future. His appointment will strengthen our ability to innovate, support our workforce and deliver high-quality protection for the communities we serve.

“As we navigate a rapidly changing landscape, Craig’s experience in driving innovation and organisational development will be invaluable in helping us adapt and transform for the future.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Flannery said: “It is a privilege to lead this outstanding Service. I am committed to supporting our people, strengthening partnerships and building on the strong foundations already in place.

“As the challenges facing fire and rescue services continue to evolve, we must modernise and innovate, ensuring we have the skills, technology and capability needed to meet the needs of our communities. I look forward to working with colleagues and partners across Mid and West Wales to deliver a resilient, progressive Service that keeps people safe and places our staff at the heart of everything we do.”

Health

Resident doctors in Wales vote to accept new contract

Published

14 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENT doctors across Wales have voted to accept a new contract, with 83% of those who took part in a referendum backing the agreement, according to BMA Cymru Wales.

The contract includes a four per cent additional investment in the resident doctor workforce and introduces a range of reforms aimed at improving training conditions, wellbeing and long-term workforce sustainability within NHS Wales. The BMA says the deal also supports progress towards pay restoration, which remains a central issue for doctors.

Key changes include new safeguards to limit the most fatiguing working patterns, measures intended to address medical unemployment and career progression concerns, and reforms to study budgets and study leave to improve access to training opportunities.

Negotiations between the BMA’s Welsh Resident Doctors Committee, NHS Wales Employers and the Welsh Government concluded earlier this year. Following a consultation period, a referendum of resident doctors and final-year medical students in Wales was held, resulting in a clear majority in favour of the proposals.

Welsh Resident Doctors Committee chair Dr Oba Babs Osibodu said the agreement marked a significant step forward for doctors working in Wales.

He said: “We’re proud to have negotiated this contract, which offers our colleagues and the future generation of doctors safer terms of service, fairer pay, and better prospects so that they can grow and develop their careers in Wales.

“This contract will help to retain the doctors already in training, and also attract more doctors to work in Wales, where they can offer their expertise and benefit patients.”

Dr Osibodu added that the BMA remains committed to achieving full pay restoration and acknowledged that challenges remain for some doctors.

“Whilst this contract sets the foundations for a brighter future for resident doctors in Wales, we recognise that there are still doctors who are struggling to develop their careers and secure permanent work,” he said. “We need to work with the Welsh Government and NHS employers to address training bottlenecks and underemployment.”

The Welsh Government has previously said it recognises the pressures facing resident doctors and the importance of improving recruitment and retention across NHS Wales, while also highlighting the need to balance pay agreements with wider NHS funding pressures and patient demand.

The new contract is expected to be phased in from August 2026. It will initially apply to doctors in foundation programmes, those in specialty training with unbanded rotas, and new starters, before being rolled out to all resident doctors across Wales.

Crime

Swansea man jailed for online child sex offence dies in prison

Published

14 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man who was jailed earlier this year for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child has died while in custody.

Gareth Davies, aged 59, of the Maritime Quarter, was serving an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted in May of sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The account was in fact a decoy used as part of an online safeguarding operation.

The court heard that Davies began communicating with the decoy between November and December 2024 and persistently pursued the individual, later attempting to arrange a face-to-face meeting. He was arrested after being confronted by the decoy operators.

Davies had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial. At the time of sentencing, police described the messages as extremely concerning and said his imprisonment was necessary to protect children.

It has now been confirmed that Davies died at HMP Parc on Wednesday (Nov 27) while serving his sentence.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent investigation into the death, which is standard procedure in all cases where someone dies in custody. No cause of death has been released at this stage.

A coroner will determine the circumstances in due course.