Hazzard pledges to work with Belfast Harbour

Speaking during a visit to the Harbour he said: “A successful ports industry is crucial to the success of our economy, not only as the main gateways for our imports and exports, but also as a catalyst for economic regeneration.

“I am keen to encourage the Harbour in their plans for growth and believe that by working collaboratively with them we can develop an operating platform which will remove some of the legislative barriers that they have faced in the past.

Mr Hazzard said he also hoped to be able to use his position to help the Harbour establish new routes and relationships, stating that he had already held discussions with his ministerial counterpart in Belgium to explore the possibility of any potential partnership opportunities with their ports.

“Belfast Harbour is a major economic asset for the region and I am delighted to have this opportunity today to see the scale of the operations and facilities at the Harbour and to discuss with the Chairman and his management team a number of important issues which are facing the ports industry.”