BELFAST HARBOUR AWARDED ICONIC BLUE FLAG FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING
Northern Ireland’s award-winning beaches and marinas have been revealed at a ceremony at Belfast Harbour Commissioners Office.
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, who manage the accreditations locally, announced 22 winning sites across five council areas.
Belfast Harbour was awarded the iconic Blue Flag for a second year, achieving the award for the first time in 2024.
A total of 16 sites across Northern Ireland earned the prestigious Blue Flag – one of the world’s most recognised awards for beaches and marinas. Winning sites met international standards in criteria such as safety, accessibility, cleanliness, environmental education and, for beaches, water quality.
A further 6 beaches across NI received Seaside Awards, the UK’s mark of quality that ensures visitors are guaranteed to find a clean, safe, attractive, and well-managed coastal stretch.
Belfast Harbour Assistant Harbour Master Duncan Paterson said:
“We are delighted to have been recognised once again with the award of Blue Flag status for our Marina. As an organisation which is committed to promoting sustainability and safety, both in its working practices and its facilities, receiving an award of such a high standard is an important achievement for Belfast Harbour. Our Marina plays a vital role in the life of our waterfront and inner harbour, with visitors from around the world berthing every year, which is why attaining such a prestigious international standard is an important accomplishment for us.”
Eric Randall, CEO of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said:
“We are extremely pleased that 22 beaches and marinas are being recognised with either a Blue Flag or a Seaside Award. Northern Ireland can rightly be proud of the amazing beaches and marinas we have to enjoy. Our offering is world class, and the public can be assured of an excellent experience when they visit one of these sites.
As we recognise these areas, we need to take steps to protect them for future generations. All parts of government and society must proactively adopt approaches that reverse the devastating impact of the climate emergency and ensure that these areas thrive into the future.”
Mayors from across councils, and beach and marina operators were invited to collect the awards.
Award-winning beaches will now have their respective flags in place for this year’s bathing season. In the event that water quality is not safe for members of the public to swim in the water, Blue Flags and Seaside Awards Flags are lowered until the water is safe to swim in.
Blue Flag Marinas, which are not designated bathing waters, fly their flags all year round.
