Belfast Harbour has revealed details of a £40 million investment to upgrade its container terminal over the next three years.

With a new terminal layout and state-of-the-art cranes, the work will boost the port's capacity by 30%, providing local importers and exporters with enhanced access to overseas markets.

Currently handling more than 250 sailings annually, Victoria Terminal 3 (VT3) connects local businesses to global markets through European ports, such as Rotterdam and Antwerp.

The investment will see £28 million committed for ten new cranes and major civil works. F.P. McCann will reconfigure the port to deliver the improved capacity and efficiency.

Michael Robinson, Belfast Harbour's Port Director, said: "This investment programme will future-proof the terminal for a generation as well as utilise the most modern technology making Belfast Harbour one of the world leaders through the implementation of Rubber Tyre Gantry remote control and stack automation technology. Long-term, we anticipate that the container market will continue to grow and surpass pre-recession levels and as a port we need to be ready to handle these volumes."

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The investment in new larger state-of-the-art cranes and a new terminal layout futureproofs the terminal capacity and provides the ability to handle larger ships. Two Ship to Shore (STS) cranes have been purchased from Liebherr Cranes, the first of which will be delivered in Q1 2020.

The investment will also provide eight new Kalmar Rubber Tyre Gantry (RTG) cranes, which are faster and more versatile than the current yard cranes and can be operated remotely, further increasing productivity. The first five RTGs will be delivered in November 2019 with the first two RTGs commissioned and ready for use in early Q1 2020.

Mr. Robinson added: "This is amongst the largest investment projects that Belfast Harbour has ever undertaken and will help create one of the most modern container handling terminals of its size in Europe.

"There is widespread recognition in industry and government that Northern Ireland’s future economic growth will rely on increasing exports and this investment puts us in a strong position to accommodate export growth by local companies over the long term."

Declan Freeman, Managing Director, ICG Container and Terminal Division, said: "We wholeheartedly welcome Belfast Harbour’s commitment to make a long-term investment in both infrastructure and equipment to modernise and improve efficiency at the container terminal. This announcement is good for all local exporters who want to access international markets and we are very much looking forward to the arrival of the first new RTGs in November."

Opened in 1993, VT3 links Northern Ireland with the international hubs of Rotterdam and Antwerp, bringing products such as food and drink and household goods to Northern Ireland, and providing a route to global markets for local exporters. Last year VT3 handled almost 128,000 containers, a 1.5% increase on the previous year and the highest volume since 2010.

(JG/CM)