By
Rebecca Gibson |
Belfast Harbour has invested £7 million to create Northern Ireland’s first purpose-built cruise facility.
Following the investment, Belfast will be able to accommodate all cruise ships currently operating in the Irish Sea, as well as next-generation ships which carry over 4,500 passengers and crew.
From 2014, cruise ships will berth adjacent to the Alexandra Dock in County Down, rather than Stormont Wharf on the County Antrim side of the port. The new facility, which will include a marshalling area for coaches and a new welcome centre, is also beside Titanic’s Dock, enabling visitors to disembark within walking distance of the city’s Titanic visitor attractions.
“A decade ago hardly any cruise ships berthed in Belfast,” said Roy Adair, Belfast Harbour’s CEO. “Now, thanks to our Cruise Belfast partnership with Visit Belfast, considerable previous investment in our existing facilities for accommodating cruise ships, and tourism attractions such as Titanic Belfast and the new Giant’s Causeway Centre, Northern Ireland has a thriving cruise sector.”
Belfast is set to receive a record number of 60 cruise ships during this year’s cruise season, which has been extended from September to October. Associated spend with cruise visits is also expected to generate more than £18 million for the local economy in 2013.
“This year, the number of calls has jumped by 33 per cent, including 13 ships which will be making their first visit to the city,” said Gerry Lennon, CEO of Visit Belfast. “By the end of this year, Belfast will have welcomed almost 600,000 passengers and crew, over 380 cruise ships and over 50 different operators since the first ship called in the mid-1990s.”