News

Mustang opens new construction hall

Published

11 years ago

November 20, 2013

ECONOMY Minister Edwina Hart opened the Construction Hall at Mustang Marine, Pembroke Dock as part of the planned expansion of the company last Monday.

Alongside the opening of the hall and unveiling of the plaque, Mustang Marine

also displayed their latest multi-purpose vessel, the SMV24 by Supacat, which is still being built and is the first of its kind. The main purpose of the vessel is to maintain wind farms at sea.

Kevin Lewis, managing director of Mustang Marine, told The Herald the early history of his company: “When I was around 15 years of age, I stood in a graving dock with my father where the last ships to be built in Pembroke Dock were. I told him that that was the business I wanted to be in.

“After being in the Royal Navy, I set up Mustang Marine in 1984 with a specific purpose of building boats, and here we are 30 years later, building boats that are big an substantial. The desire has almost been fulfilled.

“Mustang Marine has come to life over the years, and we now employ over 130 people. We have a desire to grown, though finance is tricky. We looked for partners to promote and expand, though we didn’t have to look far. The Milford Haven Port Authority joined with us and used their facilities in helping us expand.”

Mr Lewis added: “I would like to thank the team at Mustang. They are a very good and experienced team. They’ve put a lot of effort in”.

Cllr Jane Philips, mayor of Pembroke Dock, said: “I see this as job opportunities for Pembroke Dock and for the people of Pembrokeshire – this is what we need”.

All the digitaries were given a tour around the SMV24, where a Mustang Marine spokesman told the Herald: “We started it in February, but it still needs some work with the electrics, though it will be in the water between November 25 and November 28. This is the first of it’s kind and a letter of intent has been written to build another nine. The whole ship was done in house with our own local labour. We train the boys ourselves, who are all committed.”

The Herald was given an exclusive tour around the yard at Mustang Marine, where were shown all workshops and the slipway.

Robert Humphreys, Operations Director at Mustang Marine, told The Herald: “The slipway was extended the same time as the new fabrication. This is where we are building a 36ft Thames River cruiser. The slipway is a great place to build larger vessels as it’s fully covered and directly onto the water.

“We want the opportunity to build many more vessels than we currently are. We can’t build more than what we have done so far, as they take up so much time and space – we haven’t got the room to do it.”

The slipway at Mustang Marine is part of the original dockyard, dating back to the 19th century.

Mr Humphreys continued: “Here we can turn hard metal into complex shapes and do it within strict tolerances and exact standards. You can see the complexity of it just by looking at it. It’s a highly skilled and specialised thing to do.”

Mr Humphreys showed The Herald a number of workshops at Mustang Marine including Workshop 1, where the hull and first tier of the SMV24 was built.

“It took up the entire shed,” Mr Humphreys told The Herald. “We couldn’t have built anything bigger, though having this facility will help us to build bigger things.”

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

10 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”