Geograph - photograph every grid square

The building dock in Belfast was constructed between 1968-1970 by George Wimpey & Company for the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. A massive 556 metres long by 93 metres wide, it was designed for the construction of massive crude oil tankers and bulkers. Although many ships were constructed here, including two supertankers of 172,174 tonnes (343,423 DWT), the yard was in decline by the early 1970s and the dock never really fulfilled its potential. The last ship to be constructed was the 'Anvil Point' in 2003 and the yard now specialising in ship repair and the emerging renewable energies sector, notably offshore wind turbines and tidal energy projects.
Towering above the dock are the two gantry cranes 'Samson' and 'Goliath'. Now landmarks on the Belfast skyline, the cranes were designed for the yard by the German firm Krupp. Goliath, completed in 1969 and mostly fabricated by the yard, stands at 96 metres and Samson, completed in 1974 and built entirely by Krupp, is taller at 106 metres. Both cranes have a span of 140m and have a safe working load of 840 tonnes each (though I believe were tested for 1,000 which caused the top girders to bend downwards by some 11 inches). They run on 800m of track which spans the length of the dock and each crane has 64 special anti-friction bearing mounted wheels.
Both the dock and the cranes are now protected scheduled monuments. See Link for technical information .

Link in an informative video from the BBC.

The following is a part quotation from a press release dated 14 January 2015 issued by Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries Limited “Harland and Wolff (H&W) announce the contract award of the dry docking and Renewal / Special Periodic Survey of the Byford Dolphin Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) by Aberdeen-based Dolphin Drilling Limited. Following on the successful completion of its sister rig the Blackford Dolphin in 2014, the Byford project is expected to commence early in 2015. Harland and Wolff and Dolphin Drilling will implement an integrated project organisation dedicated solely to the successful execution of the project covering the many disciplines, aspects and subcontractors of the scope. Last in Belfast during 2004/2005, this Aker-H3 design semi-submersible drilling rig will have several major modifications and upgrades including the fabrication and addition of 2 new columns and 4 buoyancy boxes for stability and deck load improvements, fitting of a new larger blow out preventer (BOP) requiring underdeck stiffening and the fabrication and installation of a new BOP control house and installation of new drill string handling equipment.” Two links of interest Link and Link. For photographs of the “Blackford Dolphin” see Link and the “Borgny Dolphin” see Link.