BELFAST SHIPYARD'S SAMSON AND GOLIATH CRANES TO UNDERGO £3.1M OVERHAUL

The two iconic yellow gantry cranes at Harland & Wolff in Belfast will be refurbished at a cost of £3.1 million by owner Navantia UK. Work has already begun on Goliath, built in 1969 and standing 96 metres tall, with refurbishment to follow on Samson, installed in 1974 at 106 metres high. The modernisation will include overhaul of the crane engines, replacement of catenary power cables, and structural and electrical repairs to both machines.

Each crane can lift 840 tonnes, equivalent to the weight of four Boeing 747 jumbo jets. The refurbishment forms part of a £98.5 million recapitalisation programme at Harland & Wolff Belfast. The shipyard has begun construction of three fleet solid support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which will supply naval vessels at sea and will be the second largest ships in the armed forces after the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

Carlos Lopez Carregado, general manager at Harland & Wolff, stated that the cranes are "symbols of Belfast" and that the refurbishment would restore them "to their absolute best". He said the cranes would need their full strength to lift blocks for the fleet solid support vessels and future ships anticipated to be built in Belfast. Once complete, the cranes will be "at their busiest for many years", according to the company.