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The Belfast Dry Dock, owned and operated by Harland and Wolff for ship repair purposes.

By the early 1960s it was clear that the largest dock in Belfast, the Thompson Graving Dock (see J3576 : Thompson Graving Dock), was too small for modern tankers and bulk carriers then being constructed. The Harland and Wolff Dry Dock (now known as the Belfast Dry Dock) was constructed between 1965-68 by Charles Brand and Sons to a design by Rendel, Palmer and Tritton. It is 1150 feet long by 160 feet wide and, when constructed, was one of the five largest docks in the world. The dock can accommodate ships up to 200,000gt.

Alongside the dock is Ship Repair Quay (formerly known as Outfitting Wharf). This was constructed some 7 years later in 1975 and has a total lineal quayage of 433 metres. Ships which do not need to be fully dry docked are repaired here.

Images of the offshore drilling rig 'Borgny Dolphin' Link which was towed into Belfast on Sunday August 31st 2014 and taken to the Ship Repair Quay, part of the facilities operated by Harland and Wolff. Here it sat until Saturday 8th October 2016 when it was towed out of the harbour and taken to Aliaga, Turkey, to be scrapped.
The rig was built in Finland and launched in 1977. It was 108.2m in length by 67.4m wide and could operate in water up to a depth of 533m, drilling to 7600m.

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.