The charity responsible for preserving Belfast’s maritime and industrial heritage, Maritime Belfast Trust which owns the tender RMS Titanic, have brought Harland & Wolff shipyard on board to give the ship that they completed in 1911 a new coat of paint.
SS Nomadic served as a tender to RMS Titanic from the French port of Cherbourg and is a quarter of the size of the iconic passenger liner, with many of the same ornate features and finishes.
As the last remaining White Star Line ship, SS Nomadic requires continuous maintenance and restoration. Harland & Wolff has carried out various works on the ship since it returned to Belfast in 2011. These works include, reinstating the bridge deck, flying bridge desk and the funnel, and repairs to the keel blocks.
Admission to SS Nomadic is now included in the Titanic Experience ticket, giving Titanic Belfast’s visitors the chance to step onboard, with public access to the ship maintained while works are ongoing.
Highlighting the work as an important part of Belfast’s history, Kerrie Sweeney, chief executive of Maritime Belfast, said: “The SS Nomadic is such a significant part of Belfast’s maritime heritage and we are delighted to have appointed Harland & Wolff to support its ongoing conservation.
For further coverage, the News Letter reports on the restoration work.