News

Jihadi threat to port security

Published

11 years ago

July 11, 2014

portsecurity Jihadi threat to port securityIt went on to say that Home Office chiefs called in the Ministry of Defence after covering the plan through a network of informants working for the intelligence services. According to The Star, a senior government source said: “We already have good security at most ports but this information is quite specific and that is about as much as we can say.” “There is a lot of extremist chatter in the UK at the moment and most of it is just pie in the sky. This looks like intent.” Last week David Cameron warned that Isis extremists in Syria and Iraq posed a major threat to the UK and MI5 has confirmed it is now its top priority. A police spokeswoman said: “Dyfed Powys Police are working with partners agencies in an ongoing national campaign to detect and disrupt organised crime issues, associated with the use of large commercial vehicles, including oil tankers.” Mark Andrews, Corporate Affairs Director for the Port of Milford Haven told The Herald: “In common with other UK ports, Milford Haven has a Port Security Plan approved by the Secretary of State. Threat levels are a matter for The Maritime Security Division of the Department for Transport.” The Home Office have not offered any comment on reports that the SBS team is being supported by specialists from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment to monitor maritime movements across the UK around the clock. It has also been revealed in the national press that a second force of heavily-armed personnel will be on stand-by out of public view and ready to intercept any potential threat, with bomb disposal and police anti-terrorist officers attached, all operating under police control. This week’s covert mission is the first major intelligence-led operation since then defence secretary Geoff Hoon ordered the SBS to stop and board the cargo ship MV Nisha in the English Channel just months after the September 11 attacks. In December 2001, SBS troops intercepted the ship, which had stopped at Djibouti and, according to intelligence, was carrying “terrorist material” as well as its routine load of sugar. The ship was taken into port, but nothing was discovered.

THE HERALD has been investigating following a front page story in The Daily Star suggesting that Jihadis are planning to attack an oil terminal.

The headline “Jihadi threat to blow up oil tanker at major UK port” caused anxious Milford Haven readers to contact our paper asking if there was any specific local threat to the busy waterway. The article, published on June 22, said that special-forces soldiers have been deployed in mainland Britain to support the police after intelligence experts picked up information on a credible threat to port security, somewhere at a port in the United Kingdom.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

29 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.

The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.

Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

34 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.

Local Government

Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure

SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.

“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.

Urgent works underway

Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.

Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.

Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.

Further updates are expected later this week.