Belfast Harbour hopes to create 10,500 new jobs with a £254 million investment in new marine and estate infrastructure, according to their new plan.
Research from Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre has concluded that these investments will generate 7,000 new jobs and support a further 3,500 construction jobs.
The research also estimated this will generate a £500 million boost for Northern Ireland’s economy, with a further £300 million in annual wages and £4 million in rates to the city each year.
The 2019-2023 Strategic Plan was publicly launched at Belfast Harbour’s Annual Stakeholder Meeting last week.
Speaking at the meeting, Belfast Harbour’s Chairman, David Dobbin said: “We want to become the world’s best regional port and create an iconic waterfront district for Belfast which will be an attractive place to live, work, visit and invest in.
“We can’t deliver our ambitious plans by ourselves which is why a partnership approach is a key part of our strategy. If Northern Ireland is going to be competitive on the global stage then we need to work together, collaborate more and invest in key infrastructure.”
The Port’s projects planned over the next five years will hopefully lay the foundation for even more substantial investments.
According to Belfast Harbour’s ‘2035 Outlook’ these long-term proposals include schemes to deepen the Port’s shipping channel to accommodate larger vessels, to create new deep-water quays, the completion of the 2 million sq. ft. City Quays development and the creation of a new globally recognised science and technology hub at Catalyst Inc.
