Belfast Harbour

OUR 2025 COMMUNITY AWARDS ARE OPEN! Applications are now open for the first round of Belfast Harbour’s 2025 Community Awards. We are inviting grassroots community organisations, charities and not-for-profit groups registered in NI to submit their applications for funding of up to £5,000 to support a local programme or initiative aimed at supporting good causes. Perhaps you have a great idea for a new project or initiative to support people within your community? Or maybe you have a new take on an old idea which could have a positive impact in your area? If so, we’d love to hear from you, and applying couldn’t be easier. The deadline for submissions is FRIDAY, APRIL 11th, 5pm For details on the awards and how to apply, visit https://bit.ly/3Douw3u

2025 Cruise season officially launched! Belfast will welcome first time calls from 10 cruise ships this year as part of a cruise season that will see more than 145 calls to Belfast Harbour from some of the world’s best known cruise lines. Cruise Belfast, the partnership between Belfast Harbour and Visit Belfast which markets the city as a leading cruise ship destination, has announced that the first cruise call of the seven-month season will be on March 30th. During the 2025 season there will be 146 calls by 57 ships from 31 different cruise lines – including 13 by Belfast’s most frequent caller, Princess Cruises' Regal Princess. Among the ships calling at Belfast for the first time will be Viking's newest vessel, the ‘Viking Vela’, which will be the first cruise ship to dock in the city in 2025, while Virgin Voyages first ship ‘Scarlet Lady’ will also be making its inaugural visit to Belfast in August. The largest vessel that will be visiting Belfast this year will once again be the 333 metre-long MSC Cruises Preziosa. In a further indication of the city’s growing status in the cruise industry, this year will see Belfast Harbour facilitate eight ‘turnarounds’ – which means passengers beginning and ending their trip in Belfast boosting overnight stays in city hotels. It is anticipated that the cruise season will bring a total of 225,000 passengers to Belfast, along with over 100,000 crew members, contributing an estimated £20m-£25m to the local economy. For details on this year’s timetable, visit https://bit.ly/4kTti0O

Happy St Patrick’s Day! If you’re wondering how we marked our own celebrations in years gone by, here’s a glimpse from this day in 1965 – a St Patrick’s Day football clash between Belfast Harbour and the Northern Ireland Water Service, at Skegoneill Avenue in north Belfast, just a stone’s throw from the harbour itself. Alas, the outcome of the match – exactly 60 years ago today – is lost in the mists of time, but we’re sure it was a thrilling game to watch. Let us know if you recognise anyone in the picture – or better still played a starring role in the match yourself!

If you're interested in applying for a grant of up to £5,000 to support a local community project - or know somebody else who might be - then don't miss this fantastic opportunity to find out more about Belfast Harbour's Community Awards. Each year we support dozens of grassroots community projects and programmes through the awards, from arts organisations and gardening groups to sports clubs and maritime charities. Make sure to join us for this special Arts & Business NI webinar on March 20th. To find out more about the Community Awards, visit www.belfast-harbour.co.uk

Congratulations to all the worthy winners at last night's Women in Business NI awards, including Stephanie Brooks, PhD, of Foods Connected Ltd (Corporate), and Becca Hume, of Inclutech.co (Small Business), who each took home prizes for Outstanding Innovation, sponsored by Belfast Harbour. Well done to everyone who also made the shortlists on what was a fantastic night of celebration!

WE ARE HIRING! Belfast Harbour is seeking a new Mechanical & Electrical Frontline Manager to join its outstanding operations Engineering team. To find out more, visit https://bit.ly/4bGcJRL

Good luck to all the finalists for tonight's Women in Business NI Awards. We are particularly proud to be sponsoring the Award for Outstanding Innovation, which recognises a woman who has transformed their business through innovation. The shortlisted candidates are: Corporate: Andrea Clarke - Allstate Northern Ireland Rosemary Josekutty Thomas - Version 1 Stephanie Brooks - Foods Connected Ltd Small Business: Alison McFadden - Continu Becca Hume - Inclutech.co Nakisa Towfighi - Well4U

So excited to see the latest pictures of these fantastic, futuristic vehicles!

Well done to the Belfast Giants on last night's victory - what an achievement! 👏

This seems appropriate today as we talk about deployments. These are destined for Belfast Harbour with great partners. Driven by Oxa and partners. I get to be a cam/cav champion - and that means championing eco systems. We are all co founders. Eversum. Angoka. CCAV. Belfast Harbour. Mira.