Coleraine Harbour Commissioners

The brief

Coleraine Harbour needed a website that reflected the organisation behind one of Northern Ireland’s oldest working harbours. The existing site had become dated, difficult to update, and didn’t showcase the harbour’s role in the local community. The goal wasn’t simply to modernise the design. It was to create a platform that could communicate with businesses, visitors, boat owners, and the wider public while improving visibility in search.

The challenge

Harbour websites often become document libraries rather than useful digital experiences. Important information gets buried, navigation becomes confusing, and updates are difficult to manage.

This project needed to balance professionalism with accessibility. It had to make essential information easy to find while also highlighting the harbour’s history, events, facilities, and ongoing work within the community.

What we built

A modern website built for everyone

We designed and developed a fully responsive website that works seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and mobile. Every page was structured around usability, making it simple for visitors to find harbour information without unnecessary clicks.

Clear navigation, logical page hierarchy, and strong accessibility principles ensure the site works for every type of visitor.

Content management made simple

One of the biggest improvements was giving the harbour team control.

The new content management system allows staff to update news, announcements, documents, and harbour information without needing technical knowledge. That means faster communication and a website that stays current.

Search and AI optimisation from day one

Search wasn’t added at the end. It shaped the project from the beginning.

Every page was written with structured headings, metadata, semantic content, and FAQs designed to improve visibility in traditional search engines while also preparing the site for AI-powered search platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.

The result is a website that’s easier to discover and easier for AI systems to understand.

A platform built to grow

Rather than creating a static brochure website, we built a flexible platform.

New pages, harbour updates, news articles, events, and future content can all be added without redesigning the site. As the harbour evolves, the website can evolve with it.

The look

The design takes inspiration from the harbour itself.

A clean, contemporary interface is paired with colours drawn from the coastline, sea, and surrounding landscape. Large imagery, generous spacing, and modern typography give the organisation a professional presence while keeping the experience approachable and easy to navigate.

The result feels established without feeling outdated.

The outcome

The new Coleraine Harbour website gives the organisation a digital presence that matches the importance of the harbour itself.

Information is easier to find. Updates are easier to publish. Visitors have a better experience. And the foundations are now in place for stronger search performance, AI discoverability, and future growth.

The website isn’t just a redesign.

It’s a platform that will continue working for the harbour for years to come.