Maritime Executive: Offshore Wind Developers Invest to Make Belfast Harbor a Hub for Wind Farms

The developers of two offshore wind farms that have gained government consent will make a large investment to develop the historic Belfast Harbor in Northern Ireland into a major offshore wind farm hub. The project was announced by the local authority, but also drew the attention of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The two offshore wind projects, Mona and Morgan, are being developed by a partnership between EnBW and Jera Nex bp. As the companies move forward with the projects, they have entered into a commitment to invest approximately £100 million ($131 million) to develop the capabilities of the Port of Belfast.

“Belfast is the only port on the island of Ireland with offshore wind capabilities and we are delighted to work with the Mona and Morgan projects, whose commitment will position the port and local supply chain as central to the deployment of high-capacity wind farms, helping meet demand for clean energy as Northern Ireland, Ireland and Great Britain strive to reach net zero targets,” said Dr. Theresa Donaldson, Chair of Belfast Harbour.

The Mona project gained government consent in July 2025. The plan calls for up to 96 wind turbines with a total capacity of 1.5 GW. The Morgan project followed quickly, gaining its consent in August 2025. It is a similar-sized project also proposing up to 96 offshore wind turbines.

EnBW and Jera Nex bp will lease the port’s D1 terminal. The companies’ plan calls for the area to be prepared to support the assembly and marshalling of wind turbine components for the two projects. Which are two of the biggest so far planned for the Irish Sea.

To accommodate the projects, enabling works are being undertaken at Belfast Harbour, ensuring the site is ready for use from 2028. Port officials said approximately 300 jobs are expected to be created by the deal.

“The Mona and Morgan joint venture’s planned commitment of over £100 million to Belfast Harbour is a direct contribution to the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition,” said Nathalie Oosterlinck, CEO of JERA Nex bp. 

Port officials said that as a Trust Port, Belfast Harbour reinvests all profits back into the port and the Belfast Harbour estate. This deal has enabled Belfast Harbour to invest £90 million in construction work at the port’s D3 terminal, which will be a new dual-purpose cruise and offshore wind site. Stage 1 of the project, to build a new deepwater berth, is already under construction. Stage 2 will see the terminal further reinforced to handle the next generation of offshore wind turbines, with some core components weighing more than 1,000 tonnes. This stage will also enable the provision of shore power facilities, so that vessels can run on clean energy while docked.