UK’s Belfast Harbour is set to invest approximately £15m to re-develop Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2) to accommodate new Stena Line Vessels.
The investment will allow the terminal, which services the Belfast-Liverpool route, to manage the next generation of modern Roll-On / Roll-Off (RoRo) ferry vessels.
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Contractor Graham secured the deal and will be responsible for the construction and installation of ramp infrastructure. The project is expected to generate around 100 jobs.
The announcement follows a recent £1.5m investment that increased VT2’s landside capacity as well as improved its entrance and accessibility.
Belfast Harbour port director Michael Robinson said: “The upgrade of the VT2 ferry terminal represents another significant investment by Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland’s transport infrastructure and will provide best-in-class facilities for Northern Ireland’s importers and exporters.
“The project includes the design and construction of a new two-tier ramp that will make it faster to load and discharge traffic, improve customers’ experience and enhance connectivity to one of Northern Ireland’s key markets.
“By supporting the introduction of larger vessels, the investment also future-proofs Belfast Harbour’s ferry facilities and strengthens our long-term partnership with Stena Line.”
Development work is scheduled to commence next month and will be completed early next year.
Graham pre-construction director Stephen Hand said: “This major construction project will include new berthing infrastructure and the installation of a new double deck linkspan that will allow vehicles to drive simultaneously onto the ferry.
“The berthing facilities at VT2 need to be upgraded to accommodate new and bigger vessels. This project will create new berthing infrastructure and enable efficient vehicle access to ships.”
VT2 manages more than 200,000 freight units per year on the Belfast-Liverpool route.
