The shipyard owner of Belfast’s Harland and Wolff Group has denied that the UK government has refused to give the group a £200m loan guarantee which is seen as crucial to the yard’s future.

As The Times newspaper reported on Wednesday, the Treasury is set to block the £200m guarantee of the London-listed Harland & Wolf Group Holdings.

In addition to the 162 year old Belfast shipyard, the group has a further three sites across the UK, Arnish and Methil in Scotland and Appledore in England.

But the Queen’s Island in Belfast-based shipyard said negotiations which began in December last year with the government are continuing.

Harland & Wolff described the report as "misleading and inaccurate".

The Chief Executive, John Wood said "We were disappointed to read this article and the reaction it has caused,"

"Our application has not been rejected and continues to be a work in progress. I expect to be providing a fuller update on our refinancing plans in the next few weeks."

More on the shipyard story, BBC News reports.

The British Ports Association (BPA) has welcomed the UK Government’s new £77m Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition, which was launched yesterday.

BPA research has found that no shore power project anywhere in the world has gone ahead without government funding. This fund will help remove a key barrier to the installation of shore power, although significant other barriers remain including the high cost of electricity and a lack of capacity at many ports.

Industry is also waiting for a Government consultation later this year that is expected to explore potential regulatory approaches to emissions at berth. The BPA views shore power as a means, not an ends in itself, recognising that it will not be appropriate for all ports.

Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy & External Affairs, at the BPA said: “This funding is great news for UK ports that are exploring shore power as a means of reducing emissions from ships at berth.

“Several key barriers remain and we will continue to engage with Government to identify what can be done to reduce emissions from ships at berth.

“There is a tight window for applications so we hope Government keeps an open mind for future rounds and continues to focus on reducing other barriers to reducing emissions in port.”