Port Talbot
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		Aasfjord ex- Irafoss NIS. 3,086gt/78 1999. (entering the River Avan) The old inner Docks at Port Talbot was closed to commercial shippng in 1971, unable to accomadate the larger Ore Carriers then coming into service,a new Tidal Harbour was built alongside the old Docks. Twenty -seven years later in a deal between ABP ,Tarmac and Cambrian Stone which saw the old Locks repaired and upgraded and a new Granulation Plant built inside the old Dock area it was planned that upto 400,000 tons of waste slag from the nearby Steel Works would be feed through the new plant and shipped out annually (this material is used in road construction.) .... The last Warship to visit Port Talbot before the old Docks closed was the Submarine H.M.S Otus in 1971. Courtesy calls by Royal Navy Ships were restarted in 1999 when H.M.S.Chiddingfold berthed alongside the Talbot Wharf for a four day visit. Since then there have been a number of other Warship visits but now they berth alongside the old Steel Works Wharf in the Old Dock, this wharf has been strengthend and upgraded to accomadate such visits. Loyal Partner ex-Cotalba, Bulko,Parayas,Bulko,Parayas,Cabauno,Duro Siete NIS.2,610gt/79 The first Ship to load at the Granulation Plant was the Aastun ex-Talisman NIS. 3,136gt/75 in March of 1998. Mostly it has been Norwegian Ships that have loaded here, today its the Loyal Partner that is the regular caller she loads a cargo every week or so. .... Also in 1999 saw the first commercial cargo to be brought into the Old Docks at Port Talbot by the small Estonian Cargo Ship Iida, this was a cargo of 1,000 cubic meters of Timber. The cargo was unloaded alongside the Talbot Wharf for a local Timber Merchant, the Cwmavan Timber Co. later they developed the Talbot Wharf into a secure site for future cargoes. This Company had up until 1999 shipped their cargoes through Giants Wharf on the River Neath that is were the above photograph of the Iida was taken. The last Ship I saw alongside the Talbot Wharf unloading Timber was the Lobo ex- Alva, Superiority NIS. 1,741gt/72 in June 2000 but nothing since?? The hoped for revival of the old inner Docks at Port Talbot has to date failed to materialise, ABP had hoped to attract new trade to the Port, maybe in the future who knows. The Tidal Harbour is still as busy as ever handling over 12,000,000 tons of Iron Ore each year and can handle Ships up to 160,000 tons.