Six 80m-long blades have arrived at Belfast Harbour’s offshore wind terminal from the Isle of Wight. Each blade weighs 35 tonnes and will be deployed at DONG Energy’s Burbo Bank Extension project in Liverpool Bay.

Joe O’Neill, Belfast Harbour’s commercial director, said: “We are delighted to welcome the most powerful blades in the world. When completed, our wind farm will cover an area equal to 6,000 Premiership football pitches.”

The blades were manufactured at MHI Vestas. Its CEO, Jens Tommerup, said: “It is a significant milestone for the industry to see the blades arriving in Belfast, ready for installation. This marks the first time locally manufactured major components for offshore wind turbines are being used in the UK.

“These high-tech blades are hand-crafted to withstand the harshest conditions. Combined with our manufacturing facility and the provision of a dedicated pre-assembly terminal by Belfast Harbour, it is now possible to start
tapping into the potential of wind power from the Irish Sea.”