Belfast Harbour: A Hub of Maritime History and Innovation

Belfast Harbour has been a significant maritime hub for centuries, with a rich history that dates back to the 17th century. It has played a crucial role in the city's development and growth.

The harbour's strategic location on the River Lagan made it an ideal spot for trade and commerce, with ships sailing in and out of the harbour since the 1600s. Belfast Harbour is home to a diverse range of businesses, including shipping companies, cargo handlers, and marine services providers.

Today, the harbour is still a thriving commercial centre, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. The harbour's modern facilities and infrastructure make it an attractive location for businesses looking to expand their operations.

Belfast Harbour has a rich history dating back to the 17th century. The harbour was first used as a small fishing port and trading centre.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the harbour was in 1613, when it was used as a base for the English Crown to collect customs duties.

The harbour's strategic location made it an important hub for trade and commerce, with the first commercial ship arriving in 1615.

Belfast Harbour played a significant role in the Irish linen trade, with the first linen factory established in the harbour area in 1692.

The harbour's growth continued throughout the 18th century, with the construction of the first harbour walls in 1720.

By the early 19th century, Belfast Harbour had become one of the largest and busiest ports in Ireland, with the harbour's cargo throughput exceeding 1 million tons in 1820.

The harbour's importance continued to grow throughout the 20th century, with the construction of the Albert Lock in 1911 and the Queen's Quay in 1973.

Belfast Harbour offers a full list of harbour facilities, making it a convenient and efficient destination for visitors and locals alike. You can access the latest tidal information for Belfast Harbour to plan your visit.

If you're planning to visit the harbour, it's essential to be aware of the tidal information to ensure a smooth experience. The harbour facilities are designed to accommodate various needs, including water removal and cargo handling.

To get the most out of your visit, be sure to check the tidal information beforehand. This will help you make the most of your time at the harbour.

These essential services are made possible by powerful pumps, which are a crucial part of the harbour's infrastructure.

Belfast's graving docks, including the monumental Thompson Graving Dock, played a pivotal role in the city's shipbuilding prowess. These enclosed basins can be flooded to float a ship inside and then drained to allow the vessel to rest on blocks for maintenance or repair.

The Thompson Graving Dock and Pumphouse, a dry dock and an ancillary structure, are key examples of Belfast's innovative engineering. Powerful pumps were essential in maintaining the graving docks, allowing them to function effectively and efficiently.

These pumps were crucial for various purposes, including ballasting, bilge pumping, firefighting, and cargo handling. The pumps enabled water removal from the ship's compartments, ensuring stability and preventing flooding.

Here are some of the key features of the Thompson Graving Dock and Pumphouse:

The pumps used in the graving docks were a testament to Belfast's innovative engineering, enabling the city to become a major player in the shipbuilding industry.

Belfast Harbour offers a range of berthing options, including D1, Stormont Wharf and Pollock docks.

You can view the latest berth information for these facilities, including key metrics such as size and depth, by checking the Berthing Information section.

D1 is a popular choice for visitors, with ample space for vessels of various sizes.

Stormont Wharf and Pollock docks also offer a range of berthing options, each with its own unique features and facilities.

Facilities available at Belfast Harbour include a full list of harbour facilities, as well as the latest tidal information, which is essential for safe navigation.

By checking the Berthing Information section, you can plan your visit and make the most of your time at Belfast Harbour.

City Quays is a mixed-use development that combines commercial offices with local services. It's a great place to grab a bite to eat or do some shopping.

City Quays 1 and City Quays 2 are the two main buildings that make up this complex, offering a range of amenities to residents and visitors alike.

Belfast Harbour offers a range of freight and passenger services, making it a vital hub for trade and transportation in Northern Ireland.

The harbour handles a significant amount of freight, with 542,000 freight vehicles being carried on routes from Belfast to Loch Ryan, Birkenhead, and Heysham in 2019. This is a record number for nine consecutive years.

In 2019, the harbour also handled 9.9 million tonnes of bulk cargo, a significant increase from the 6.0 million tonnes handled in 2009. This growth is a testament to the harbour's importance in the region's economy.

The harbour's Victoria Terminal 3 is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including three Liebherr ship-to-shore gantry cranes and three rail-mounted stacking gantry cranes. The terminal serves feeder traffic from various European ports, including Rotterdam, Le Havre, and Antwerp.

Here are some of the key passenger services offered by Belfast Harbour:

These services cater to both passengers and freight, making Belfast Harbour a convenient and efficient transportation hub.

Freight operations at Belfast Harbour have seen significant growth over the years. By 2019, Stena Line's Belfast-Loch Ryan route, Belfast-Birkenhead and Belfast-Heysham service together carried 542,000 freight vehicles.

The number of containers handled at Victoria Terminal 3 increased to over 130,000 units by 2019, carrying over 2.1 million tonnes of goods. Bulk cargo throughput also increased to 9.9 million tonnes in 2019.

In 2014, 476,000 freight vehicles used the Port, a 2.2% increase over 2013. This growth is a testament to the harbour's importance as a transportation hub.

Victoria Terminal 3, equipped with three Liebherr ship-to-shore gantry cranes and three rail-mounted stacking gantry cranes, has been a key player in this growth. The terminal was operated by Coastal Container Line Limited from 1993 to 2015.

Belfast Container Terminal, operated by the Irish Continental Group, began to operate a service to Antwerp and Rotterdam from the Herdman Channel in 2006. This rival service used a mobile ship-to-shore crane and three straddle carriers.

Peel Ports lost the tender to operate the service at VT3 in 2015, and the Irish Continental Group began to operate solely from VT3 by September 2015. This marked a significant shift in the harbour's freight operations.

A £40million project to upgrade VT3 was announced in October 2019, with the aim of increasing efficiency and capacity. The project included the installation of eight new remote-controlled Kalmar rubber-tyres gantry cranes and two Liebherr ship-to-shore gantry cranes.

The Port of Belfast offers a range of passenger services, catering to different needs and destinations.

1.4 million passengers used the port's ferry services in 2014.

A key route is the Stena Line service to Cairnryan, which replaced the previous route to Stranraer in 2011.

Stena Line also operates a route to Birkenhead, which was acquired from DFDS and features two ships, MS Stena Lagan and MS Stena Mersey.

The Stena Edda, a new super ferry, will join this route in early 2020, with the Stena terminal at Victoria Terminal 2 upgraded to accommodate the larger vessels.

The Stena Edda even got to test the new facilities by sailing into Belfast on 26 February 2020.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company offers another route, connecting Belfast to Douglas, Isle of Man.

You can also connect with the Metro bus Service 96, which links with the Londonderry Line and Belfast Suburban Rail network of Northern Ireland Railways.

Additional reading: Boston Harbour Ferry

Belfast Harbour is a popular destination for cruise ships, with 2016 set to be the busiest cruise season in the city's history, hosting over 145,000 passengers and crew.

The harbour has two cruise berths, the Pollock dock and the Stormont Wharf, which cater to different sizes of ships. The Pollock dock is used for smaller ships, while the Stormont Wharf is for larger ones.

The Pollock dock has a length of 457m and a depth of 8.5m.

Belfast Harbour has a long history of development, with the first harbour master appointed in 1847. This marked the beginning of a significant expansion phase.

The harbour's infrastructure has been continuously improved over the years, with the construction of the Albert Lock in 1965 and the King George V Dock in 1906. These developments have enabled the harbour to accommodate larger ships and cargo.

Plans are in place to further enhance the harbour's facilities, including the redevelopment of the Queen's Quay area, which will provide additional commercial and residential space. This project is expected to be completed by 2025.

The harbour is well-positioned to take advantage of the growing wind farm industry, with plans to expand its marshalling area for wind turbines.

There are indeed big plans in the sector, with Mr O'Neill estimating around 30 different wind farm projects in the next 10 years off the Irish coast.

The harbour's existing planning permission will allow it to move forward with these plans, with the facility potentially complete by late 2027 or early 2028.

This expansion will not only support the growth of wind farms but also free up space for other developments, making the harbour an even more attractive investment opportunity.

Investment in larger projects, however, is currently constrained by the harbour's legal status, which is classified as a public corporation.

The Pump House has undergone a remarkable transformation from an industrial pumping station to a visitor attraction. Originally, it served as a pumping station for the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

A project led by Tim and Andrew revitalized the historic building, transforming it into a working distillery and tourist attraction. This involved rebuilding parts, repairing a collapsed roof, removing ivy, and making other necessary modifications.

Art exhibitions have been held at the Pump House, and visitor tour facilities have been added. Today, the Pump House has been transformed into a Visitor Centre & Café.

Guided tours are conducted every day, offering visitors the chance to learn about the Pump House's history and its role during the construction of the Titanic.

Queen's Island was created from soil deposits following the excavation of deep shipping channels. This process allowed for the development of a large area of reclaimed land with deep-water access to the Irish Sea.

The creation of Queen's Island provided a significant area for shipbuilding and the expansion of the port. It was renamed 'Queen's Island' in honour of Queen Victoria's visit to Belfast in 1849.

Queen's Island offered affordable labour, making it an ideal location for shipbuilding activities.

Discover more: Coral Sands Hotel Harbour Island

Belfast Harbour is a bustling hub of activity, and one of its most impressive features is its harbour facilities. A full list of these facilities is available, making it easy to plan your visit.

The harbour is also home to the latest tidal information, which is essential for anyone planning to visit or use the harbour.