How the Latest Investment in Northern Ireland is Affecting the Shipping Industry

The Belfast harbour operator will feel the benefit of a £1.38bn investment package over the next 25 years, taking advantage of the recent strong economic growth figures in Northern Ireland. This will be one of the largest non-governmental investments in the region’s history.

It is not solely Northern Ireland that is experiencing these recovery shoots. It is thought that the maritime industry will undergo expansion leading to creation of new shipping jobs in several ports, harbours and dockyards, throughout the UK.

In Belfast the Harbour Commissioners have detailed a port upgrade, which hopefully will include a package involving the building of extensive residential properties as well.

The harbour investment plan, contingent on legislation being passed at the Northern Ireland Assembly, where alterations to the way commissioners can borrow money on the stock exchange have to be approved, includes massive investment in new facilities for offshore wind projects as well as expansion of quays for the transfer of grain and animal trade, enlargement of ferry terminals, expanded container shipping facilities and power connection provision for docked ships.

Belfast harbour is an independent statutory body where they have no recourse to benefit from government money, but this does not mean they cannot receive orders to build Royal Navy vessels.

With final assembly at Belfast, coupled with a collaborative, modular building program around the UK and Spain, we will see the construction of three FSS (Fleet Solid Support) ships, commissioned by the UK government. This will bring substantial job creation as well as a £1.6 bn boost to private enterprise for the businesses involved.

Such orders are availing the maritime industry of being able to predict that certain companies will be doubling their workforce by 2030 and offering many hundreds of apprenticeships by the same year, recruiting from all corners of the UK.

Harland and Wolff will be just one of the beneficiaries of the revenue coming into the industry from the orders that have recently been placed. They have yards at Belfast, where many years ago, they famously built the Titanic, and Appledore in Devon. Both of these sites will be responsible for some of the construction of the three naval vessels mentioned above.

With the major expansion at Belfast come a boost to the site’s capability, protecting hundreds of jobs for those employed there. One of the major docks, a 185-acre peninsula, called Queen’s Island is home to multiple specific graving docks used for building and repairing.

It is currently undergoing a digital and physical overhaul. Changes include an extra 5000ft of covered prefabrication space, up to the minute robotics coupled with the provision of advanced plasma cutters. These will used during the building of the three FSS vessels ordered by the Royal Navy.

Other areas are that are undergoing developments are Appledore, also involved in the construction of the Royal Navy order, where yard upgrades and modernisation of the equipment in hand are taking place, and in Scotland, specifically a £3 million investment in the Arnish Yard at Methil and Stornoway, where many new jobs have been created and sustained, supporting modern thinking about such ideas as offshore wind projects.

Being an important player in the UK employment market it is crucial to upkeep as many of the approx. 782,000 jobs that are currently supported in the maritime industry. UK shipping industry is considered 5^th ranked for global competitiveness and is thought to be robust and resilient.

In Belfast the Harbour Commissioners have detailed a port upgrade, which hopefully will include a package involving the building of extensive residential properties as well.

Belfast harbour is an independent statutory body where they have no recourse to benefit from government money, but this does not mean they cannot receive orders to build Royal Navy vessels.