Famous cranes at shipyard where Titanic was built set for £3.1m refurbishment

The famous Harland & Wolff cranes in the same Belfast shipyard where the Titanic was built, are set for a £3.1m refurbishment.

Named after the powerful biblical figures of Samson and Goliath, the yellow cranes have dominated the Belfast skyline for decades and are described as symbols of the city.

The structures are set to be "at their busiest for many years" after the refurbishment by their owners, Navantia UK.

The uplift will see the cranes' engines overhauled and their catenary cables, through which they get their power, set for replacement.

Engineers will make structural and electrical repairs to them both.

Work has already begun on the older crane, Goliath, which was built in 1969 and is 315ft (96m) high.

Once completed on Goliath, the refurbishment will then move on to Samson, which is the crane closer to the sea and which was installed in 1974 with a height of 348ft (106m).

Each crane is capable of lifting 840 tonnes - equivalent to four Boeing 747 jumbo jets.

Work on Samson and Goliath is part of a £98.5m recapitalisation of Harland & Wolff Belfast, which will prepare the yard for naval and commercial shipbuilding projects.

Harland & Wolff has begun a programme to build three fleet solid support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary - which will provide supplies to naval ships at sea, and will be the second largest vessels in the armed forces behind the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

Carlos Lopez Carregado, general manager at Harland & Wolff, described Samson and Goliath as "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," he said.

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Mr Carregado added: "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.

"The cranes are sophisticated pieces of machinery capable of carrying enormous weight.

"They will need all of their strength to lift blocks for the fleet solid support vessels, and for future ships which we anticipate building in Belfast.

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

(c) Sky News 2026: Famous cranes at shipyard where Titanic was built set for £3.1m refurbishment