Here is BBC News Report:Wednesday, 10 May, 2000, 12:27 GMT 13:27 UK
Shipyard wins new order
Shipyard workers' plea seems to have been heard
The threat of closure for Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff has been lifted with the signing of a £300m contract with a Norwegian firm.
The contract is to build four advanced roll-on-roll-off passenger vessels.
The announcement came a day after workers at the yard voted narrowly to accept a new pay and conditions package.
They had been working under the threat of redundancy in June if no new work was secured for the yard.
The signing of the Norwegian order means the company also has an option to build two further ships for Seamasters International.
That would bring the value of the contract up to £500m.
The future of the yard had been in doubt since the company lost a £400m order to build the Queen Mary II liner to a French yard.
Atlantic 4000 class
The four Ropax (roll-on-roll-off) vessels will be known as the Atlantic 4000 class.
The first vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2002, with subsequent deliveries phased through until 2004 if contracts for all vessels are confirmed.
Harland and Wolff: its cranes dominate the Belfast skyline
Announcing the contract, H&W chief executive Brynjulv Mugaas said the company was delighted to have secured the deal.
"These will be truly innovative vessels, illustrating the capability of Harland and Wolff to undertake the design and construction of sophisticated projects.
"There is presently a lack of tonnage available in the market for Ropax vessels and none as innovative as the Atlantic 4000."
He said it was anticipated the Atantic 400 would be "15-20% more fuel efficient than competing designs".
Troubled past
On Tuesday, approximately half of the yard's 1,700 workers voted by a margin of 424 to 389 to accept the new deal on pay and conditions.
Many workers expressed anger at the result, but union officials said it was the right outcome for them and the company.
Workers marched through the streets of Belfast last week in response to earlier proposals from the management, anxious to cut costs as they bid to secure new orders.
H&W has been facing possible closure as its order books will be empty when it delivers the second of two drill ships to its only remaining customer, the US oil company, Global Marine.
The company has reported that it failed to make a profit last year, breaking even in 1999, compared with a pre-tax profit of £5.1m in 1998.
H&W estimated that it was facing closure by June if it failed to secure new contracts.
The company is continuing to pursue contracts in the offshore oil and gas industries - and also in wind power generation from offshore sites.
It also has plans to develop property in the docks area of Belfast to be called Titanic Quarter.
There is also the possibility that it may secure a portion of work on 30 new British Royal Navy warships, a new generation of aircraft carriers, type 45 frigates and combatant landing craft.
The Ministry of Defence has said it intends to distribute the work around a number of UK shipyards.
Terry