Valencia, August 25th, 2026.– Welcoming Northern Ireland Maritime and Offshore (NIMO), supported by Belfast Harbour as the newest member of the Port Innovators Network (PIN), helping drive innovation and knowledge sharing across PIN’s global network.
PIN is a worldwide association, with members from across the maritime sector, that aims to boost the adoption of innovation in the global ports ecosystem.
NIMO brings together members from across industry, government and academia to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions riving significant economic and environmental benefits across Maritime and Offshore sectors in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Harbour is the principle maritime gateway in Northern Ireland, handling 70% of the region’s seaborne trade, and 25% of seaborne trade for the island of Ireland. The Trust Port is a key driver of the Northern Ireland economy, facilitating the steady flow of trade and goods and supporting £8.8bn in total Gross Value Added (GVA) to the regional economy.
NIMO’s integration into PIN will begin with attendance at PIN’s plenary meeting in Valenciaport (Spain) next October, focused on the network’s growth strategy. NIMO will also take part in the port resilience event organised by Opentop, as well as in the plenary session of the PEIC (Port Entrepreneurship International Congress), held as part of the Valencia Digital Summit (VDS).
Dr Kerry Muldoon, Executive Director of NIMO, said:
“NIMO members bring strength in areas like autonomous systems, offshore renewables, and innovative port technologies, as well as technology transfer from aerospace into the marine sector. What excites us most about joining PIN is the two-way benefit it creates. Our innovative SMEs gain exposure beyond Northern Ireland, while other PIN members gain direct access to the capability and innovation we’ve built here. Through PIN’s matchmaking network, those connections happen quickly, opening doors that would otherwise take years to find on their own.
“At the same time, our own ports and harbours across the region can learn a huge amount from PIN’s members, and we’re looking forward to collaborating with fellow innovation hubs as they tackle many of the same challenges we face.”
Mike Dawson, People and Digital Transformation Director, Belfast Harbour said:
“Belfast Harbour is currently laying the foundation for the port’s digital future as part of our 2025-50 Masterplan, which sets out long-term investment in port infrastructure. The objective is to create an integrated, data-driven operating model that improves safety, productivity and resilience.
“We’ve already invested in innovative solutions such as enhanced connectivity and live monitoring solutions to improve situational awareness and operational response; automated environmental and fuel monitoring to improve safety and compliance; and digitalised documentation to reduce administration time.
“The Port Innovators Network offers the opportunity for us to expand our connections around the world and we look forward to sharing our learnings from internal projects and connecting with our peers to discover how other ports and sectors have been planning for the future.”
Statement as NIMO sponsor
David Thomas, Executive Director, The PIER said:
“As a founding member of the Port Innovators Network, The PIER welcomes NIMO and Belfast Harbour to the ecosystem. Building on connections formed through the Invest NI delegation “Atlantic Exchange” event we hosted in Halifax in 2025, we look forward to NIMO’s innovators and Belfast Harbour’s experience contributing to trialing new solutions across our growing global network.”
To mark the beginning of their membership, NIMO and Belfast Harbour will attend the Valencia PIN plenary in October, which will focus on strategy, port resilience and a day at the Valencia Digital Summit’s Port Entrepreneurship and International Congress (PEIC).
About NIMO
NIMO’s mission is to connect and elevate the Maritime and Offshore sectors in Northern Ireland, fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainable economic growth. The growing cluster has over 65 members that operate across industry, academia and government. It represents the majority of ports and harbours in Northern Ireland, including Belfast Harbour, Foyle Port, Larne Port, Warrenpoint Port, as well as the NI Fishery and Harbour Authority. In delivering these objectives, NIMO works closely with Invest Northern Ireland, which provides funding to support the cluster through its Cluster Acceleration Programme, as well as other key stakeholders from across the UK and Ireland.
About the Port Innovators Network
Port Innovators Network (PIN) is a global network of port innovation hubs founded by homePORT (Port of Hamburg), Opentop (Valenciaport) and The PIER (Port of Halifax). PIN’s mission is to drive innovation adoption across the global port system. PIN connects communities of innovation centers including startups, entrepreneurs, companies, researchers, universities and investors to share ideas, project results, innovation experiences, methodologies and best practices. Members include: Cubo Maritime & Port (Porto do Açu), SmartportLab (Port of Bahía Blanca), the 2050 National Maritime Innovation Hub (Port of Tyne) and Blue Economy Incubator (Port of San Diego), Port of Esbjerg, thinkport VIENNA (Port of Vienna), the New Bedford Ocean Cluster (Port of New Bedford), and the Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore (Belfast Harbour).
