Harland & Wolff's Belfast shipyard is to spend £3m refurbishing its two landmark yellow cranes, Samson and Goliath, as part of preparations for a major Royal Navy shipbuilding contract. The overhaul forms part of an investment of almost £100m by the yard's Spanish owner, Navantia, ahead of work on the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme, under which Belfast will act as the integration and final assembly site for three Royal Navy support ships.
The two cranes, which have dominated the east Belfast skyline for decades, will undergo an overhaul of their engines along with the replacement of other key components. Navantia UK has confirmed that work has already begun on Goliath, with the company saying the cranes will be "at their busiest for many years" during the modernisation, according to LBC.
What work is being carried out on Samson and Goliath?
The project covers mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and structural maintenance across both cranes. According to LBC, the work also includes replacing the catenary cables that supply power to the cranes, alongside structural and electrical repairs. Carlos Lopez Carregado, General Manager at Harland & Wolff, said the overhaul would treat the cranes "with utmost respect".
"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 added.
"We will be replacing parts, updating technology and testing them to see that they can lift at full capacity."
Why do the cranes matter to Belfast?
Goliath is the older of the pair, built in 1969 and standing 96 metres tall, while Samson was installed in 1974 and rises to 106 metres, according to LBC. Both structures have long served as visual symbols of the city's shipbuilding heritage, and Navantia UK describes the Belfast site as the "beating heart" of its UK Fleet Solid Support shipbuilding programme, according to the company's own website, Navantia UK.
How does this fit into the wider investment at the yard?
Harland and Wolff has been owned by Navantia, Spain's state-owned shipbuilder, since January 2025, and the company has already made substantial investments in Belfast, including an expansion of the fabrication hall and the installation of plasma cutting equipment. Navantia UK has also stated that the yard has seen expanded fabrication capacity and more mechanised production equipment as part of its broader modernisation, according to a statement from Navantia UK marking a ministerial visit.
There is some discrepancy over the total scale of the investment. While the shipyard has described the programme as worth almost £100m, Navantia UK has separately said the crane overhaul is part of a wider near-£160m investment to ready Belfast for the FSS contract, according to the Telegraph.
What happens next?
Goliath is expected to come fully back into service in September 2026, with Samson following afterwards, according to the Telegraph. Work on the FSS programme is already under way at other Navantia sites in Spain and Devon, with the ships being built in blocks that will be transported to Belfast by barge for final assembly.
Blocks for the first vessel, RFA Resurgent, are due to arrive in Belfast in early 2027, though a separate report indicates the bow section is being built at Appledore, with a transport barge expected to advance to its next stage in mid-May before delivery to Belfast from March 2027, according to the UK Defence Journal. Navantia has said that final assembly, integration and sea trials for the ships will all take place in Belfast.
Key Facts
- Harland & Wolff will spend £3m refurbishing the Samson and Goliath cranes ahead of the Fleet Solid Support programme.
- Goliath was built in 1969 and stands 96 metres tall; Samson was installed in 1974 and stands 106 metres tall.
- Navantia, Spain's state-owned shipbuilder, has owned Harland & Wolff since January 2025.
- Goliath is expected back in full service by September 2026, with Samson to follow.
- The first FSS ship blocks are due in Belfast in early 2027, with delivery reportedly continuing from March 2027.
