Northern Ireland

Harland & Wolff workers expected to pick up tools again this week

Harland & Wolff has been saved after being bought for £6 million by a London-based company. Picture by Hugh Russell
Harland & Wolff has been saved after being bought for £6 million by a London-based company. Picture by Hugh Russell Harland & Wolff has been saved after being bought for £6 million by a London-based company. Picture by Hugh Russell

CLOSURE-threatened shipyard Harland & Wolff has been saved after being bought for £6 million by a London-based company which works on major energy projects.

All 79 workers who didn't take a voluntary redundancy cheque when the historic firm went into administration in August are likely to pick up their tools again later this week.

And new owner InfraStrata, which is seeking to develop a multi-million pound natural gas storage facility at Islandmagee, said it planned to increase the size of the Belfast workforce to 400 over the next five years.

The Unite union has praised the company’s workers for fighting to keep the shipyard alive, including a nine-week sit-in protest that was designed to raise awareness about its plight.

Its assistant general secretary for manufacturing, Steve Turner, said: “We always knew this incredible workforce would fight for and win the future that this community wholeheartedly deserves.

“They've stood strong and resolute while others were too ready to throw in the towel. Now we have a shipyard to get back up and running to its full potential.”

In recent years InfraStrata has moved away from shipbuilding to focus on wind energy and marine engineering projects.

Its chief executive John Wood described Harland & Wolff as "a landmark asset" and said its reputation as one of the finest multi-purpose fabrication facilities in Europe was a testament to its highly skilled team in Belfast.

While the shipyard will initially make pipework and steel modules for the Islandmagee gas storage plant, which involves compressing gas for storage 1,500 metres below the sea floor in salt beds, Mr Wood believes H&W could eventually return to shipbuilding.

Administrators BDO confirmed that the agreed terms of sale will include the transfer of the remaining 79 employees on their existing terms and conditions to InfraStrata when the deal completes.

They added: "In the interim, it is intended that the remaining employees will be able to return to work in the coming days. This is a very positive step towards protecting and safeguarding the employment of the workforce."