New role for Harland & Wolff shipyard

Iain Stuart Yardley · Jun 13, 2006

According to this news website, H & W is to become the first shipyard in the U.K. to environmentally-friendly tear apart old ships and oil rigs for recycling:

http://www.utvlive.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=74223&pt=n

Cheers,

Boz

[Moderator's Note: This thread, originally placed in another topic, has been moved to this pre-existing subtopic addressing the same subject. MAB]

Michael H. Standart · Jun 13, 2006

I wish them every success in this venture. If Harland And Wolff can make this work, it would go a long way towards solving the problems of disposing of old worn out vessels that are hanging over the heads of the so-called First World Nations.

Grant Carman · Jul 10, 2006

H&W still builds ships I think. If I remember another poster on this site, H&W was one of the 2 finalist to build the QM2, but couldn't get the financing in place, hence the reason why the French yard got the contract.
Let's hope that they not only get to dismantle, but also build for any other ship that Cunard decides to build, (if they do any after the QV)

Dave Gittins · Jul 10, 2006

H & W is out of the shipbuilding business. The last ship was number 1742, Anvil Point, 2003.

Lately H & W has been involved in offshore wind farms, as it has the big cranes needed. Other than that, it does consultancy and design work.

Grant Carman · Jul 11, 2006

Dave

Thanks for the update. Was I correct in my memory that H&W had bid on the QM2?

Jerry Nuovo · Jul 11, 2006

Hi Grant you are right.Harland & Wolff did attempt to get the contract to build the Queen Mary 2 but the French shipyard did submit the lowest bid to Cunard.

James Alexander Carlisle · Mar 25, 2007

Harland & Wolff are doing quite well, ships are in for overhauling and repairs.

Michael H. Standart · Mar 25, 2007

That's good to hear. With so many famous and historic shipyards throughout the UK which have passed away, it's nice to see that one of them has managed to find a new lease on life. I don't suppose there's any chance that they'll ever get back into building ships, is there?

Michael H. Standart · Mar 27, 2007

A short article about a satisfied customer.

Stena Explorer returns on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route

quote:

The HSS Stena Explorer fast ferry service made a welcome return on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route last month. By Shelley Marsden - 26/03/07

Following a refitat the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast the craft has returned havingreceived a â‚¬1.75 million (£1.17 million) refurbishment including a new seating area at the rear of the craft.

Story at http://www.theirishworld.com/article.asp?SubSection_Id=2&Article_Id=2362

Sam Brannigan · Mar 27, 2007

Good to see the yard still hanging in there.

I don't know why the Irish Sea ferry operators have such a fixation on the HSS class, though.

It's a notoriously choppy sea, and every single time I've booked on to a HSS (especially between Northern Ireland and Scotland), it has been cancelled and I've had to use a slower ro-ro instead. This has happened on at least a dozen occasions.

It seems that the HSS really only come in to its own in the summer months when the traffic is high, and the shorter turnaround benefits the ferry companies.

It would have been great if H&W had put some wings and Rolls Royce engines on it! ;-)

Michael H. Standart · Oct 2, 2007

From The BBC:

Titanic yard has sights on design

quote:

It has shrunk in size from its heyday, but Harland and Wolff is still competing at an international level in terms of design.
The yard that built the Titanic is now to design elements of an advanced heavy lift vessel after an agreement with Netherlands shipbuilder, Merwede.

For the rest, go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7022029.stm

Comment: Business appears to be looking up for them. Let's hope it continues!

Michael H. Standart · Mar 30, 2008

From Planet Ark:

Titanic's Shipyard Builds Record Tidal Generator

quote:

DUBLIN - Harland & Wolff, the Belfast shipyard that built the Titanic has diversified into renewable energy generation, assembling what Northern Irish authorities say is the world's biggest tidal electricity generation system.

The 1.2 megawatt SeaGen will also be the first to be connected to a local electricity grid and will generate electricity for 1,000 homes by using tides in Strangford Lough, east of Belfast, Energy Minister Nigel Dodds said.

More at http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/47680/story.htm

James Alexander Carlisle · Mar 30, 2008

Michael,

This project has been talked about for quite som time. The problem has been enviromental, because of the high amount of wild life in Strangford Lough. The current is extremely strong in this Lough. At the top of the Lough the differance between high and low tide is about two miles and all of this water has to flow in and out between a narrowing opening. The turbine is only about a couple of miles from my house, so I expect to have "green" electricity in the near future.

BTW Strangford lough is where Thomas Andrews got his interest in boats started.

Michael H. Standart · Mar 31, 2008

I'm just happy that Harland & Wolff is getting some work. Things weren't looking so rosy a few years ago.

James Alexander Carlisle · Mar 31, 2008

Michael,

The impression I get is that they have plenty of work. Ship repairs and recertification, wind turbines and the Design group have been designing ships and modules.