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

🚢 Belfast Harbour welcomes the first cruise ship of the 2025 season – and a brand new visitor! Yesterday, we had the honour of welcoming Viking Vela, the first cruise ship of the 2025 season and an inaugural caller to Belfast. As part of maritime tradition, we had the privilege of exchanging plaques with Anders Steen to mark this special occasion. This kicks off another exciting season for our city’s cruise industry, reinforcing Belfast’s position as a leading cruise destination, recently recognised as the Best UK & British Isles Port of Call by Cruise Critic. This year, we will welcome 146 cruise calls from 57 different ships across 31 cruise lines - including 10 first-time visitors, such as Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, which we’re excited to welcome in August. Beyond the ships themselves, the cruise sector plays a vital role in Belfast’s tourism economy. An estimated 225,000 passengers and over 100,000 crew members will visit this season, contributing £20-£25 million to local businesses, hotels, and attractions. With eight turnarounds scheduled, mostly with Ambassador Cruise Line, more passengers than ever will be starting and ending their holiday in Belfast, and experiencing all that our amazing city has to offer. I’m incredibly proud to play a part in facilitating and promoting this business, but none of it would happen without the collaboration and dedication of our partners at Cruise Belfast - a joint initiative between Belfast Harbour and Visit Belfast. Equally, the invaluable contributions of our Port Operations team, Civil & Marine team, Harbour Police, security contractors, ship agents, and stevedores are essential in delivering a world-class welcome to our cruise visitors. It’s fantastic to see Belfast’s cruise sector thriving, and I’m looking forward to another busy season ahead. If you’re involved in the cruise or tourism industry, I’d be delighted to discuss any opportunities you see for this growing sector in Northern Ireland. #CruiseBelfast #Tourism #BelfastHarbour #CruiseIndustry #Ports #NorthernIreland Cruise Ireland | Cruise Britain | Cruise Europe | CLIA | Cruise Lines International Association | Excursions Ireland

We were all in a spin yesterday at Harbour Office as we pumped up the pedal power for our Miles for March fundraising event. Our teams spent the day racking up the miles on a pair of static bikes – kindly donated by Better Gym Belfast – in support of the Alzheimer's Society, to fund their incredible life-changing work providing essential support to those living with dementia. Our hardworking colleagues covered an impressive 105 miles throughout the morning and afternoon, and managed to beat our fundraising target. Thank you to everyone who took part, and especially to those who so kindly donated!

Sponsored by Belfast Harbour , the Skills & Education Award is for the organisation that best demonstrates how its actions have helped inspire and support young people and/or people facing barriers to work to develop the skills they need for a successful working life The Responsible Business Awards are open to any organisation from any sector and are free to enter. Closing date is Friday 2 May. Watch our webinar recording to learn how you can make a great written submission that showcases why you believe your organisation should be in with a chance to win in 2025 - https://lnkd.in/emWks3Ry Find out more: www.bitcni.org.uk/awards #ResponsibleBusiness #BITCNIAwards

Tough day at the office as we welcomed two of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association NI's finest, Vivvy and Raymond, to meet our Belfast Harbour team. As well as getting lots of belly rubs, the pair offered plenty of insights into what it takes to develop a trainee like Raymond from a puppy to a full-fledged guide dog. We also heard first hand from guide dog user Torie about the special relationship that she has with Vivvy, as well as getting the opportunity to try some practical challenges. Thanks for coming to see us, we so enjoyed meeting you all!

Stena Line are easily the most identifiable vessels which frequent Belfast Harbour, and there are now nine vessels in port daily, bringing millions of travellers – business and leisure alike, as well as hundreds of thousands of freight vehicles - to their destinations here as well as in Scotland and England. This lovely image shows just three of the nine Stena ships which are in Belfast each day, including the Stena Vision which is currently at layby.

Thank you to the First Minister, deputy First Minister and Department for the Economy NI Minister for joining us at Belfast Harbour Studios this week to see the latest production we are hosting. The Death of Robin Hood stars Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, and is being shot locally in various locations with support from Northern Ireland Screen 🎬

Congratulations to students from Kilmoyle Primary Schoolandnursery, in Ballymoney, who have been crowned the winners of the Microsoft Dream Space Minecraft Education competition, run in partnership with Belfast Harbour. Eight teams across five schools representing counties Antrim, Dublin, Louth and Tyrone, made it through to the final of the competition, which was held in Microsoft’s Dream Space STEM and AI education hub at W5 LIFE in Belfast. The winners, the Coral Crew from Kilmoyle Primary School, impressed judges – including Belfast Harbour Marine, Environment & Biodiversity Officer Simon Gibson - with their ocean research vessel inspired by sea turtles, showcasing innovative conservation strategies. The school also secured second place with their project The Sea Serpents, featuring a solar-powered research vessel with an aquarium and turtle hatching incubators. How great to see such innovation in our next generation of marine scientists!

It’s not often we welcome a literary legend into port, so we’re especially delighted to see the arrival of the ARMARA Jules Verne at Pollock Dock Basin this morning. Its nautical namesake may have penned such iconic maritime tales as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in 80 Days over 150 years ago, but the Verne is no less of a seagoing veteran, having been plying the waves for a quarter of a century, under a variety of names. The 88-metre vessel will be remaining with us until tomorrow, when she will be departing for Ipswich with a cargo of stone. Bon voyages, Monsieur Verne!

Don't forget to join us for this event today, where you can find out more about our Community Awards programme and whether it's right for your organisation.