For the second time in five years, the famous shipyard that built RMS Titanic, Harland & Wolff is to enter administration. That means for now, the famous yellow cranes that are visible from all over Belfast may cease operations although they still intend to trade.

At its peak the shipyard employed 35,000 and during the Second World War, Harland and Wolff built more ships than any other shipyard. Now with an existing order for three Royal Navy warships, it seems likely that a buyer will be found soon enough.

Its two famous cranes, Samson and Goliath, built by German industrial powerhouse Krupp, were installed in 1974 and 1969 respectively. Goliath is the older and smaller of the two, standing at 96 metres, with Samson measuring 10% higher at 106 metres, their yellow paint and iconic H&W lettering dominate the Belfast skyline. Both cranes have a span of 140 metres and they run on tracks, able to move further apart or closer together along the 556 metres of dry dock. Lifting a combined load of 1,700 tonnes and the length of the dry dock makes this shipyard one of the most accommodating in the world.

In the image above, Samson is seen on the left and Goliath on the right, indeed same for the image below where you can see the height differential in the two structures.

Interestingly, Krupp were the largest European company at the start of the 20th century.

Of course, Harland and Wolff is most famous for one ship, Titanic, which left Belfast Lough on the 2nd of April 1912 before beginning its maiden, and sadly its only, voyage from Southampton, Cherbourg and Cobh.

This part of Belfast, Titanic Quarter is home to a fine museum to the most famous ship of the 20th century - https://panoramicireland.com/blog-ireland-guide/belfasts-titanic-quarter-shining-example-of-regeneration

Who knows what the future holds for Belfast's Harland and Wolff, but even if the cranes are quiet for now they will remain an essential and unavoidable focal point in the industrial city's skyline.