H&W at full capacity

Harland and Wolff is gearing up for a second year of substantial business growth following a successful 2004 which saw ship repair and conversion work increasing by 60%. The Belfast shipyard is at maximum capacity with no fewer than two ferries, two high speed catamaran ferries, a tanker and three semi-submersible offshore platforms in the yard for repair and upgrade.

Harland & Wolff Chief Executive Robert Cooper says the marketing efforts undertaken by the company in the last 18 months have generated substantial growth in the Ship Repair and Conversion business. H&W is also very active in Marine Design Engineering, Steel Fabrication and Civil Engineering.

“We are delighted that so many customers recognise the combination of quality and value for money available in Belfast. In 2004 we had a growth of 60% in vessel dockings and repairs. This is an excellent start for 2005,” says Cooper.

Irish Ferries-operated Ulysses, Jonathan Swift and Normandy are currently in H&W for annual survey and repairs. The fourth vessel in the fleet, Isle of Inishmore, is due in H&W later in the month.

Ulysses, the world?s largest car ferry, shares H&W?s main dock with the catamaran Jonathan Swift and the semi-submersible rig Borgsten Dolphin. Ulysses, which operates between Dublin & Holyhead, provides nearly three miles of parking space for 1,342 cars or 240 articulated trucks per sailing; no other passenger car ferry in the world can match its vehicle carrying capacity.