Belfast’s Harland & Wolff cranes set for £3m overhaul

Two giant shipyard cranes which have come to symbolise the city of Belfast are to get a major refurbishment.

The bright yellow cranes, nicknamed Samson and Goliath, dominate the city skyline from the Harland and Wolff shipyard where the Titanic was built.

Each crane stands at around 100m tall and is capable of lifting 840 tonnes – the equivalent of four 747 jumbo jets.

Built in the late sixties and early seventies, they have not operated at full capacity for decades and were last used to build a ship in 2003.

But now the Spanish shipbuilding company which bought the yard in 2025 is planning an overhaul.

Navantia UK is investing more than £3m to bring them back into full use, ready for an expansion of shipbuilding in the city.

Work has already begun on Goliath, the older of the pair, which was built in 1969.

Harland and Wolff has a contract to build three supply vessels for the British Navy.

They will be the biggest ships in the fleet after its two aircraft carriers. Work has begun on this project, and others are on the order book.

The company hopes to benefit from an increase in UK defence spending in the future.

Carlos Lopez Carregado, General Manager at Harland & Wolff, said: “Samson and Goliath are symbols of Belfast.

“We know that the city is proud of them, and this major mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fabric maintenance project will restore them to their absolute best.

“We will be replacing parts, updating technology and testing them to see that they can lift at full capacity, and we will be treating them with utmost respect.

“You can expect to see Samson and Goliath swing into action soon – they are about to be at their busiest for many years.”

Images of the huge cranes have become synonymous with the city.

They have graced a range of products from t-shirts, clocks, mugs and even Valentine cards.

Navantia has committed to spending almost £100m on the yard, expanding production areas and fitting new state-of-the-art cutting equipment.

The east Belfast yard was founded in 1861 and became one of the biggest names in world shipbuilding.

It famously produced the Titanic, built in two years for the White Star Line and launched in 1911.

The “unsinkable” ship was lost on its maiden voyage when it hit an iceberg in 1912.

The yard was not without controversy in the decades before and during the Troubles, with Catholic workers sometimes suffering sectarianism and attack.

The shipyard currently employs 450 people.

The company says the workforce is expected to rise to 1,500 by 2030.