Work Begins on Belfast Harbour's New £90M Deep-Water Terminal
The biggest individual capital investment project in Belfast Harbour’s history has begun.
Marine construction activities are set to commence later this week. The newly constructed $120 million deep-water berth at the 'D3 terminal' This will enable some of the world's biggest cruise ships to stop at Belfast.
The project will involve transforming Belfast Harbour’s current cruise terminal back into a key center for assembling and installing floating offshore wind turbines.
The trust port, which reinvests all after-tax earnings, stated that the investment will be fully financed from within its own resources.
Last year, Belfast Harbour announced an underlying pretax profit of £36.7 million for 2023, which is higher than the £36.3 million documented in 2022.
The upcoming deepwater facility along Airport Road is anticipated to be finished in preparation for the 2028 tourism season.
Around 146 cruise voyages are scheduled for Belfast in 2025, with Belfast Harbour projecting this to be valued at approximately £20m-25m.
Despite ranking at number 158 in the records for 2023, Belfast Harbour continues to be the most active cruise terminal on the island and holds the position of the second busiest cruise harbor in the UK.
“The primary aim of this significant investment by Belfast Harbour is to draw more cruise ships back to Belfast for visits,” stated Joe O'Neill, CEO of Belfast Harbour.
This indicates that as some passengers leave, others board the same day.
This will amplify the number of visitors, leading to more overnight stays and enhancing the positive economic benefits for the area.
The company Graham from Co Down has been named as the principal contractor for the first stage of construction.
The second stage of the initiative, aimed at streamlining the construction and placement of advanced floating offshore wind units, is scheduled for completion by 2030.
Paul Scott, who leads Graham’s contracting efforts, stated: "We are thrilled to collaborate with Belfast Harbour on this initiative. This partnership will strengthen Belfast's status as a prominent cruise hub and significantly contribute to advancing offshore wind energy within the area."
As projects begin, our emphasis will be on collaborating closely with important stakeholders and the local community to deliver social benefits and create lasting impacts.
The $120 million investment is part of a £313 million five-year plan unveiled by Belfast Harbour in January.
Dr. Theresa Donaldson, who chairs the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, stated: "Being a trust port, our main duty is to sustain and advance the harbor for the benefit of all local residents, and this initiative fulfills that objective."
It will assist us in attracting additional turnaround cruise visits to Belfast, enhancing the financial impact of cruise tourism. Additionally, this initiative offers a route toward achieving our long-term goals of supporting the development of future generations of floating offshore wind farms. This would aid Northern Ireland and neighboring regions in meeting their renewable energy objectives and reaching net-zero emissions.
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