Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

The Original Port of Warrenpoint was constructed in the late 1770s and acted as a lightering port for the much larger Port of Newry. Following the demise of Newry Port Warrenpoint Harbour Authority was created as a Trust Port by legislation in 1971. The modern Port was completed in 1974 when it covered 28 acres. Since then the port has expanded to its current size of approximately 53 Acres. The Authority has just completed a £22 Million capital infrastructure project (under the terms of a Service of General Economic Interest with the Department for Regional Development) that includes, the construction of a 300 Metres of Deep Water Quay (7.5 Metres C.D), new Ro-Ro berthing facilities, additional lands and covered storage facilities and a new 100 Tonne mobile crane. Warrenpoint Port is a Trust Port and like other Trust Ports across the UK is not owned by Government but operates autonomously and with a high degree of Public Accountability and a strong Public Interest ethos. The Port is required to operate in a commercial manner and is an independent statutory body governed by its own legislation. The main governing legislation under which Warrenpoint Port operates is the Harbours Act (Northern Ireland) 1970, the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Order 1971, the Harbours (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 and the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Order (Northern Ireland) 2002. Under this legislation it is the duty of the designated Harbour Authority to take account of the Code of Practice as issued by the Department for Infrastructure. The current Code of Practice was issued in November 2003 and updated in May 2008. There are no shareholders. Therefore any surplus funds generated from the business are ploughed back into the operation, maintenance and development of the port for the benefit of its stakeholders. Warrenpoint is one of Northern Ireland’s main commercial ports serving a hinterland which includes the southern part of Northern Ireland and the northern part of the Republic of Ireland. In general cargo terms Warrenpoint is the second port in Northern Ireland and the fifth on the island of Ireland. Warrenpoint’s geographic position constitutes a major strategic advantage located half way on the main strategic network of the Belfast to Dublin economic corridor