Our Horizons
growth with purpose
Our Masterplan 2025-50 is structured around three investment Horizons: a near-term delivery to 2029, scaled expansion through the 2030s, and long-term transformation to 2050.
Horizon 1 – 2025-2029
Capital Investment: £313 million
Aligning directly with our 2025-29 Strategy ‘Advance Regional Prosperity’. Key projects include:
- £90m deepwater quay at D3 under construction – new cruise home from 2028; D1 repurposed for offshore wind assembly and marshalling from 2029
- Fourth linkspan at West Bank Road; crane upgrades; new warehousing and logistics capacity
- City Quays 4 (325 homes) City Quays 5 (commercial and public realm) – planning secured for both
- Clarendon Wharf advancing through planning – up to 600 homes
- Maritime Skills Academy – site identified, model in development
- Project Harlander autonomous shuttle trial: 92% passenger satisfaction rate
Horizon 2 – 2030-2040
Capital investment: £484 million
Building on the foundations of Horizon 1, expanding port operational capacity and driving regeneration and sustainable integration through:
- Stormont Wharf rebuild – the lead infrastructure priority for this decade; consenting completed by 2029
- VT3 quay extension and deepening for next-generation vessels
- Airport Logistics Park – connecting maritime, air and road freight networks
- Shore power roll-out across key berths
- Regeneration at Clarendon Wharf, with commercial partners
- Regeneration continuing across City Quays, Titanic Quarter and other waterfront sites
- 3,500+ new homes planned across the estate over the life of this Masterplan
Horizon 3 – 2040-2050
Capital investment: £578 million
Looking towards long-term transformation, with key projects to include:
- Reclamation at West Bank Road – new terminal capacity for next-generation trade
- Clean Energy Hub for alternative maritime fuels: hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, advanced biofuels
- Shore power extended to further berths; expanded deepwater and heavy-lift capability
- Infrastructure built to last beyond 2050
- Delivery depends on partnership – we are committed to working with all relevant partners to ensure key dependencies are delivered in step with our own investment
FINANCING THE MASTERPLAN
As a Trust Port, Belfast Harbour reinvests all post‑tax profits back into the port and estate. This model has underpinned significant capital investment over the past decade and will fund the delivery of Horizon 1.
Horizons 2 and 3 require additional financial flexibility. Port infrastructure within these horizons will be financed through a combination of retained profits and prudent commercial borrowing. To enable this, reclassification of our accounting status by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is required.
The NI Executive is fully supportive of reclassification for all NI Trust Ports, and the necessary legislation is progressing through the Executive and Assembly processes.
You can learn more about reclassification, and the benefits we believe it can deliver at belfast-harbour.co.uk/reclassification
