Anglesey Freeport

What Anglesey Freeport does

Anglesey Freeport is a government-designated special economic zone located on Anglesey Island, Wales, established in 2023 as a public-sector partnership between Stena Line (Holyhead Port operator) and Isle of Anglesey County Council. The freeport operates across three designated tax sites: Central Anglesey Tax Site (anchored by M-SParc Science Park), North Anglesey Tax Site (Rhosgoch, former Shell Oil depot, and Octel site), and Anglesey Prosperity Zone (comprising the former Anglesey Aluminium site now branded as Prosperity Parc and Parc Cybi). Its core offering is a regulatory and tax incentive framework including zero-rate secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions for new employees spending 60%+ of time in tax sites, 100% enhanced capital allowances for qualifying plant and machinery, enhanced structures and buildings allowances at 10%, and customs flexibilities such as duty deferral/elimination and simplified declaration processes. The Digital Trade Corridor combines customs facilitation with blockchain encryption and auditing programmes for trade flow along the Holyhead-Dublin route and GB land-bridge to mainland Europe.

The freeport serves as an investment attraction mechanism targeting four primary sectors: nuclear energy (aligned with Wylfa Newydd development), digital technology (aligned with North Wales AI Growth Zone), low-carbon energy (offshore wind, tidal, hydrogen), and international trade and logistics. Named prospective tenants and feasibility supporters include Bechtel Nuclear Power Company, Assystem, Last Energy, Rolls-Royce SMR, Menter Môn, and Menter Môn Morlais. The entity operates without traditional commercial revenue; its economic model relies on government seed capital (£25 million from UK and Welsh Governments in March 2026) to fund infrastructure enabling private sector investment, with projected outcomes of 5,000 new jobs by 2030 and up to £578 million in annual local economic growth.

The entity is governed by an Interim Freeports Governing Board co-chaired by Stena Line's Executive Chair and the Isle of Anglesey County Council Chief Executive, operating under a Memorandum of Understanding with both UK and Welsh Governments. Strategic partners include Bangor University (M-SParc owner), Grŵp Llandrillo Menai (skills pipeline), KGH Maersk, Competere, and the Institute of Export and International Trade. The freeport is structured as a B2B enterprise-field-sales model, engaging prospective tenants through direct inquiry forms, community events, and investor documentation, with headquarters in Holyhead and coordination presence in Bangor.

Name

Anglesey Freeport

Legal name

Anglesey Freeport

Website

https://angleseyfreeport.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anglesey Freeport is a UK-Welsh government-designated special economic zone on Anglesey Island, Wales, offering tax incentives, customs flexibilities, and streamlined trade procedures to attract investment in nuclear energy, digital technology, low-carbon energy, and logistics sectors. It operates as a partnership between Stena Line and Isle of Anglesey County Council.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Economic Zone Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Marine Cargo Handling (488320)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Port Agents & Ground Handling Services (THAEAFAE)

Keywords

• Freeport operations
• Special economic zone
• Customs tax sites
• International trade facilitation
• Low-carbon technology parks

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangor

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Seed Funding: Anglesey Freeport secured £25 million in seed capital funding from the UK and Welsh governments to launch infrastructure projects. This funding supports site remediation, highway improvements, energy infrastructure, and science park expansion to prepare tax sites for private sector investment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Anglesey Freeport is a designated freeport (special economic zone) on Anglesey Island, Wales, offering tax incentives, customs flexibilities, and trade facilitation to attract business investment. It operates through three designated tax sites (Central Anglesey Tax Site, North Anglesey Tax Site, and Anglesey Prosperity Zone) and provides streamlined customs procedures, duty deferral or elimination on imported goods, employer National Insurance relief, and enhanced capital allowances for qualifying businesses.

Product overview

Anglesey Freeport is a single unified product - a designated freeport (special economic zone) operating across multiple tax sites on Anglesey Island, Wales. The freeport operates through three designated tax sites (Central Anglesey Tax Site, North Anglesey Tax Site, and Anglesey Prosperity Zone), supported by customs sites and services including the Digital Trade Corridor for trade facilitation. Key facilities include M-SParc Science Park and Prosperity Parc development. The freeport provides tax incentives, customs flexibilities, and streamlined procedures to attract investment in nuclear energy, digital technology, low-carbon energy, and marine renewables sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000 new jobs projected by 2030
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Stena LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner and port owner, operating Holyhead Port for 27 years. Co-chair of the Interim Freeports Governing Board alongside Isle of Anglesey County Council. Manages the Freeport's customs and port operations, including Prosperity Parc development plans.
• Isle of Anglesey County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner co-chairing the Interim Freeports Governing Board with Stena Line. Operates under single local authority framework. Runs the Energy Island Programme and supports Freeport governance and compliance with Welsh Government regulations.
• Bangor UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of M-SParc (Menai Science Park), the first science park in Wales. M-SParc serves as the Central Anglesey Tax Site core, embedded in digital and low-carbon sectors across North Wales with projects in tidal, offshore wind and new nuclear.
• Grŵp Llandrillo MenaimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain Further Education and Apprenticeship provider on the island. Integral partner in Freeport skills programme, guaranteeing pipeline of skilled young people and re-skilled individuals to support employment opportunities.
• KGH MaersksupportingTechnology or IntegrationExpert partner in international trade and customs law, providing specialist expertise in customs regulations and international trade compliance for Freeport operations.
• CompeteresupportingTechnology or IntegrationExpert partner providing specialist expertise in international trade and customs law to support Freeport governance and regulatory compliance.
• Institute of Export and International TradesupportingTechnology or IntegrationExpert partner in international trade, providing specialist knowledge and support for Freeport operations and trade facilitation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Humber Freeport: UK freeport covering the Humber estuary with offshore wind and advanced manufacturing focus, offering the same suite of UK Government tax reliefs and customs flexibilities as Anglesey Freeport.
• Teesside Freeport: UK government-designated freeport in the Tees Valley offering equivalent tax and customs flexibilities across multiple tax sites, targeting energy-intensive and advanced manufacturing tenants with comparable sector priorities to Anglesey.
• Liverpool City Region Freeport: UK freeport covering multiple sites across the Liverpool City Region including the Port of Liverpool, offering similar tax and customs benefits and competing for Irish Sea trade routes via Stena Line and other operators.
• Solent Freeport: Designated UK freeport spanning Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, targeting marine, automotive and advanced manufacturing with similar incentive structures to Anglesey.
• Celtic Freeport: The other designated Welsh freeport covering South Wales ports (Port Talbot and Milford Haven), offering similar tax and customs incentives under a UK/Welsh Government framework, directly competing with Anglesey for investment capital and tenant occupiers.
• Forth Green Freeport: Scottish freeport covering the Forth estuary with renewable energy and green hydrogen priorities, providing equivalent UK-level tax incentives and competing for similar low-carbon energy and manufacturing tenants.

Broad incumbents

• Stena Line: The principal partner in Anglesey Freeport and one of the world's largest ferry operators; operates Holyhead Port directly and provides the operational backbone for the Freeport's customs and trade activities.
• Associated British Ports (ABP): UK's largest port operator managing 21 ports, with potential to manage adjacent tax sites or compete for similar investment; relevant for port operations benchmarking and infrastructure development parallels.
• Peel Ports Group: Major UK port and logistics operator with significant freeport-adjacent operations including the Port of Liverpool, providing a benchmark for integrated port and freeport operations in North West England.

Emerging players

• M-SParc (Menai Science Park): Wales's first science park operated by Bangor University, embedded as the Central Anglesey Tax Site core of the Freeport; comparable as an early-stage innovation hub anchoring larger economic development initiatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/YnysMonFreeport
• Facebookfacebook.com/YnysMonFreeport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/angleseyfreeport

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anglesey Freeport