A cruise ship and ferry outfitting firm based in Co. Down will announce today in Belfast Harbour that it has secured £120 million (€139m) of new work to fit out cruise ships.

The firm MJM Marine located in Newry, said the increase in business across a range of global clients including major cruise operators, will create more than 100 jobs.

The firm which this year celebrates its 40th anniverary, said that the new positions will increase the firm's workforce in the region of 300 people.

MJM will make the announcement in Belfast Harbour on board the 130,818 gross tonnage cruise ship, Celebrity Apex. The 2,910 (double occupancy) passenger cruiseship which is a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rated resort at sea, had sailed overnight from Liverpool.

Celebrity Apex is the second of the ‘Edge’ series cruise ships operated by Celebrity Cruises, which is a brand within the Royal Caribbean Group and is one of MJM Marine's trade partners.

The order book for MJM reaches across seven of the world's leading brands, with delivery taking place in locations across the world including Singapore, across Europe and to the Bahamas.

RTE News has more on the multi-million pound contract. 

Recent works Afloat adds of MJM Marine clients include Silversea’s Silver Wind, Carnival’s Radiance, Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas and Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection’s inaugural vessel, Evrima.

Last year and again this season, Azamara Pursuit made a cruise visit to Warrenpoint Port, Co. Down where the MJM Marine headquarters is located in the Carnebane Bussiness Park, Newry, which was awarded a project to fit-out the 800 passenger cruise ship.

The work which was carried out had regional ties, as the Azamara Journey in 2018 docked at Harland & Wolff, Belfast which was then the largest ship of its kind to have a refit at the shipyard facility.

The shipyard firm of Harland & Wolff Group which has its largest facility in Belfast, has landed another significant fit-out, reports The Irish News, with a contract that is worth up to £70 million.

The Group, which also has yard's in Arnish and Methil, Scotland and Appledore in England, has been given its Belfast facility a "notice to proceed" for the mid-life upgrade of a large vessel.

This will also involve the dry-docking of the vessel at their yard at Queen's Island located on the south side of Belfast Harbour.

The client whose identity has yet to be revealed, is understood to have chosen Harland & Wolff based on the yard's proven ability to execute such projects with complex upgrades.

A determining reason for the client is that H&W's Belfast yard is one of the largest heavy engineering facilities in Europe. Another factor is that Belfast Lough permits large vessels with deep water access to the largest dry-docks in the UK in which there are two.

As Afloat highlights, the Main Dock is (556m x 93m) with a draft of 8.41m depth of water and Belfast Dock (335m x 50.29m) with a corresponding draft of 12.3m.

In addition the marine engineering facility has ample quayside and vast fabrication halls.

The contract however is subject to its formal execution, which when implemented is expected to see the vessel arrive in Belfast this year.

As for the duration of dry-docking the large vessel, this is scheduled for five months and is to span into early 2024.

More from the newspaper which also has a recap of a large naval and smaller-scale tug newbuilding contracts awarded to the London-listed shipyard group which also has an office located on Lower Thames Street.