A brief history of the Port

In 2018, the Port of Milford Haven celebrated 60 years of operations. Key timeline events include:

2017 - Havens Head Retail Park acquired

2016 - Marine simulator suite opened

2015 - New lock gates installed

2014 - Liddeston Ridge solar array is completed

2012 - RWE Pembroke Power Station begins generating

2009 - 'Tembek' is the first Liquefied Natural Gas carrier to enter the Port

2008 - Pembroke Port Gate 4 was acquired

2004 - A candidate site since 1997, the Milford Haven Waterway becomes an official Special Area of Conservation (Pembrokeshire Marine SAC)

1998 - Pembroke Port Gate 1 was acquired and expands cargo handling capacity

1996 - Oil tanker 'Sea Empress' runs aground at the entrance to the Haven. This tragedy was a watershed moment for the shipping and port industries resulting in UK-wide changes to port operations and an international impact on the way these vessels are designed

1992 - Irish Ferries starts running the Pembroke to Rosslare service

1991 - Milford Marina opens

1979 - The B&I Line's MV Connacht arrived at the Port's new £8m terminal on her inaugural sail from Cork on 23rd May

1977 - Land acquired for Pembroke Dock Ferry Terminal

1974 - 59m tonnes of cargo passes through the Port making it Britain's largest port in terms of tonnage

1973 - Amoco Refinery comes on-stream

1969 - The Port receives the Esso Scotia, the first 250,000-ton vessel ever to call at a British port

1968 - Gulf Refinery comes on-stream

British Amiral — The Port welcomes the British Admiral in 1965

1965 - First 100,000-ton vessel, the British Admiral, arrives at the Port on her maiden voyage

1964 - Texaco (Pembroke) Refinery comes on-stream

1962 - Annual tonnage entering Milford Haven passes 10m

1960 - Esso Refinery was opened by HRH Duke of Edinburgh

1958 - Milford Haven Conservancy Board was created by an Act of Parliament on the 30th April

Even before the Conservancy Board was created, the Milford Haven Waterway had a long association with the provision of port services and was well known for its fishing and military histories.

Milford Fish Docks is the largest fishing docks in Wales. It celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2018. Find out more about the history of the docks.
Looking even further back, Milford Waterfront commemorates wider Waterway events and milestones taking in Viking invasions, Tudor monarchs and floating planes.