Nomadic Contract To Renew Titanic Link

A century-long link between the SS Nomadic and Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard is about to be rekindled.

The name made famous for building the Titanic has just been awarded a £2m contract by the Department for Social Development (DSD) who own the Nomadic, to carry out restoration work on the vessel's superstructure and steelwork almost 100 years after constructing her.

The Nomadic was built to ferry passengers to board the Titanic where it was too big to dock.

Work will start on the project immediately and is scheduled to be completed by the end of July.

NI Social Development Minister Alex Attwood said: "The award of this £2million contract will help restore and revamp Nomadic's 100 year old superstructure and steelwork, getting it ready for Titanic's 2012 celebrations.

"It will also provide over 25 jobs and I anticipate at least three new posts will be created.

"The Nomadic played an important role in the Titanic story. We are looking forward to the next chapter, which will see her take up a role as a key attraction at the heart of the centenary festivities. This is another great milestone in the ongoing refurbishment of Titanic's little sister," he said.

East Belfast Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has welcomed the news and said: "This is brilliant news and there is massive historic significance in this contract success.

"It is very pleasing that the link between this most famous shipyard and this exciting vessel has been restored," he said.

"This is not only a boost to the tourism industry element of our economy, but also a great economic boost for Harland and Wolff too."

Denis Rooney, Chairman of the Nomadic Charitable Trust (NCT) said: "The superstructure and steelwork contract will ensure that the vessel will be ready to accommodate the key fit out stage of the restoration programme, which will commence immediately after this contract is complete.

"Between now and then we do have another very important milestone of our own with the Nomadic celebrating her centenary in April of this year.

"We have agreed with the contractor to schedule work to accommodate a number of pre-booked 'hard hat' tours to mark this important milestone.

"NCT is still looking for financial help to restore the Nomadic and give this magnificent piece of maritime heritage its rightful place in history," he concluded.

The £2m contract has been awarded under the Peace III Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), with additional funding from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) and will primarily cover work associated with the re-establishment and the erection of the bridge deck and the flying bridge deck.

Howard Keery, Director at the Special EU Programmes Body, said: "This is an extremely worthwhile project which will contribute to the regeneration of a historical part of the city.

"The award of this contract to Harland & Wolff also confirms that the engineering and manufacturing industry in the region remains strong and competitive. I am delighted that under the PEACE III Programme we are able to contribute to the restoration of the SS Nomadic and promote the recognition of a shared history and heritage."

Next year, SS Nomadic will feature prominently in Belfast's Titanic 2012 celebrations and as Alan Clarke, Chief Executive of NITB outlined, she will help maintain a vital link to the city's history, he said: "The story of the SS Nomadic, of the titanic quarter and of Northern Ireland's wider maritime heritage is a very important part of our history and culture.

"A story that is of great interest to our visitors and, therefore, of great value to Northern Ireland in attracting tourists and in positioning our country as a must-see destination.

"The restoration of the SS Nomadic will help to re-establish this link to our maritime industrial past and I am delighted that NITB is supporting this very important project through our Tourism Development Scheme funding of £750,000."

(BMcC/KMcA)