H & W Cranes Belfast

Harland and Wolff is famous for its two iconic yellow gantry cranes, known as Samson & Goliath which dominate the Belfast skyline. Although they were built long after the RMS Titanic, they have become powerful symbols of the city's industrial heritage. The two cranes are named Samson and Goliath after the biblical figures. Goliath was completed in 1969, and the slightly taller Samson was finished in 1974. Goliath stands at 96 meters (315 ft) tall, while Samson is 106 meters (348 ft) tall. Shipbuilding in Belfast has largely ceased, but the cranes are still in working order and are used for heavy lifting in the shipyard's current activities, such as ship repair, offshore construction, and renewables projects. Their future was secured in 2003 when they were granted a preservation order as official scheduled monuments under the Historic Monuments Act of Northern Ireland, meaning they cannot be easily altered or removed. The cranes are a major landmark and a source of pride for Belfast locals, often associated with the city's "Hello and Welcome" (H&W) initials.