Record year for trade flowing through port 23.7m tonnes handled by harbour staff

More trade passed through Belfast Harbour than ever before last year, new data has revealed. A record 23.7 million tonnes were handled at the port – a jump of 600,000 on 2016.

This came on the back of the weaker pound, the growing agri-food sector and what the harbour referred to as “significant and strategic investments”.

It said growing demand for Northern Irish food products and a healthy agricultural sector has been a big driver.

The harbour attributed the 2% jump on Stena Line’s roll-on, roll-off service to growth in agri-food exports, one which also saw demand for imports of animal feed and grain climb 11%.

Belfast Harbour’s new commercial director Michael Robinson said the performance shines a light on the health of the local economy.

He added: “There has been much uncertainty about economic performance in the past 12 months, but an increase of 600,000 tonnes year-on-year in port throughput suggests local businesses are more resilient than expected.”

Mr Robinson said the quarry industry also appears to be performing well.

He added: “Aggregate exports from Belfast Harbour surpassed 1.5 million tonnes for the first time, up 16% yearon-year and up 60% in the past five years, highlighting the importance of the local quarrying sector to the Northern Ireland export economy and the success of Conexpo which exports products to road building projects across Europe.”

Chairman David Dobbin said the increase in activity had been expected.

He added: “Our investment strategy ensures we provide the best facilities to our port users and tenants and our 2017 trade results underpin that.

“Belfast Harbour’s success is driven by the innovative, dynamic, forwardthinking companies which use the port and are pushing their own businesses forward on a global stage.

“I look forward to continuing to work with all our customers and tenants in the coming years.”

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