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Navantia UK refurbishes £3.1 million shipyard cranes for RFA vessels

8/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Navantia UK is spending £3.1 million to refurbish the Samson and Goliath shipyard cranes in Northern Ireland.
Overhauls, new catenary cables and structural repairs are underway on Goliath (96 m, 1969) before moving to Samson (106 m, 1974).
Each crane can lift 840 tonnes, roughly the weight of four Boeing 747 jets.
The £98.5 million investment will ready the Belfast shipyard for three Fleet Solid Support vessels for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

History

Historical Context

In 1977, Labour passed the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act, nationalising 27 shipbuilders into British Shipbuilders, which owned 32 yards covering 97% of UK merchant capacity; Harland & Wolff in Belfast remained a politically sensitive state-owned yard outside direct management. Decades later, Navantia UK’s crane refurbishment echoes the 1970s investment, sustaining Belfast’s naval-construction legacy.

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Story summary

Navantia UK is spending £3.1 million to refurbish the Samson and Goliath shipyard cranes in Northern Ireland.
Overhauls, new catenary cables and structural repairs are underway on Goliath (96 m, 1969) before moving to Samson (106 m, 1974).
Each crane can lift 840 tonnes, roughly the weight of four Boeing 747 jets.
The £98.5 million investment will ready the Belfast shipyard for three Fleet Solid Support vessels for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

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