Harland and Wolff - Shipbuilding and Engineering Works

Harland and Wolff

For over 150 years, the Harland & Wolff shipyard has stood as a titan of British engineering and a cornerstone of Northern Ireland's industrial soul. From the iconic slipways of Queen's Island to the cutting edge of modern maritime technology, we remain a national asset for UK manufacturing. With world-class infrastructure and a legendary workforce, we don't just build structures: we forge the social fabric of Belfast. Having fabricated vessels and architectures of virtually every weight and dimension—from the golden age of ocean liners to the future of renewable energy and naval defence—our legacy is as immovable as the cranes that define our skyline.

The Ships

Best known as the company that built the Titanic, Harland and Wolff has for more than 150 years built some of the largest and grandest vessels to ply the world's waterways. Over the course of its history, the company has built merchant ships, luxury liners, warships, oil tankers and bulk cargo vessels.

Dunchers and Dungarees

The yard produced men of steel - hard, self-educated, working class heroes. In their time, Belfast-built vessels and their countless innovations were often the first, the biggest, the fastest, the most luxurious - the best. Employment at Belfast rose to over 30,000 during the war years.

Engineering

Engineered structures of virtually every weight and dimension, transforming raw materials into the backbone of global industry. From the monumental spans of bridges to the unique demands of locomotive transport and the rigorous tolerances of aviation and armoured defence.

The Cranes

The cranes, known locally as Samson and Goliath, are of Krupp Ardelt design. The first, Goliath, completed in July 1969, was largely constructed by Harland and Wolff in the Belfast shipyard; the second, Samson, was provided in its entirety by Krupps in 1974.

Harland and Wolff

For over 150 years, the Harland & Wolff shipyard has stood as a titan of British engineering and a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s industrial soul. From the iconic slipways of Queen’s Island to the cutting edge of modern maritime technology, we remain a national asset for UK manufacturing. With world-class infrastructure and a legendary workforce, we don’t just build structures; we forge the social fabric of Belfast. Having fabricated vessels and architectures of virtually every weight and dimension—from the golden age of ocean liners to the future of renewable energy and naval defence—our legacy is as immovable as the cranes that define our skyline.

The Ships

Best known as the company that built the Titanic, Harland and Wolff has for more than 150 years built some of the largest and grandest vessels to ply the world's waterways. Over the course of its history, the company has built merchant ships, luxury liners, warships, oil tankers and bulk cargo vessels.

Dunchers and Dungarees

The yard produced men of steel - hard, self-educated, working class heroes. In their time, Belfast-built vessels and their countless innovations were often the first, the biggest, the fastest, the most luxurious - the best. Employment at Belfast rose to over 30,000 during the war years.

Engineering

Engineered structures of virtually every weight and dimension, transforming raw materials into the backbone of global industry. From the monumental spans of bridges to the unique demands of locomotive transport and the rigorous tolerances of aviation and armoured defence.

The Cranes

The cranes, known locally as Samson and Goliath, are of Krupp Ardelt design. The first, Goliath, completed in July 1969, was largely constructed by Harland and Wolff in the Belfast shipyard; the second, Samson, was provided in its entirety by Krupps in 1974.
Timeline