The Belfast Harbour terminal which services the Belfast-Liverpool route is set to undergo a £15 million upgrade.

The Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2) will be redeveloped to handle the next generation of modern RoRo (Roll-On / Roll-Off) ferry vessels.

VT2 currently handles more than 200,000 freight units annually on the Belfast-Liverpool route.

The new E-Flexer ships, which are currently under construction in China and are due to enter into service in the Irish Sea in 2020 and 2021, will be substantially bigger than the ships currently on the route and will enhance freight capacity by 40%.  

Local contractor GRAHAM has been appointed to deliver the project, which will sustain 100 jobs through the construction and installation of new ramp infrastructure that will accommodate the berthing of Stena Line's new E-Flexer ships.

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Michael Robinson, Port Director, Belfast Harbour said: "The upgrade of the VT2 ferry terminal represents another significant investment by Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland's transport infrastructure and will provide best-in-class facilities for Northern Ireland’s importers and exporters.  

"The project includes the design and construction of a new two-tier ramp that will make it faster to load and discharge traffic, improve customers' experience and enhance connectivity to one of Northern Ireland's key markets. By supporting the introduction of larger vessels the investment also futureproofs Belfast Harbour's ferry facilities and strengthens our long-term partnership with Stena Line."

The project is part of Belfast Harbour's long-term investment strategy in Port infrastructure. It follows a recent £1.5m investment that increased VT2's landside capacity and improved its entrance and accessibility in preparation for the arrival of the new vessels.

Stephen Hand, Pre-construction Director, GRAHAM, added: "This major construction project will include new berthing infrastructure and the installation of a new double deck linkspan that will allow vehicles to drive simultaneously onto the ferry. 

"The berthing facilities at VT2 need to be upgraded to accommodate new and bigger vessels. This project will create new berthing infrastructure and enable efficient vehicle access to ships."

Work is expected to start on the redevelopment in June 2019 and will be completed in early 2020.

(CM/JG)