The Belfast yard of Harland and Wolff Ltd ceased shipbuilding following the completion of a 22,996gt Ro/Ro (roll-on roll-off) vessel in March 2003.
Currently the oldest vessel built there and still in service is the now 16,531gt, Portuguese-owned Princess Danae. Handed over from the builders in July 1955, the ship was originally the Port Line's twin-screw refrigerated cargo liner, Port Melbourne.
On September 29, 1955, the ship visited Port Chalmers on its maiden voyage.
It later made a further three calls to the lower harbour and then three to Dunedin, the last on August 22, 1971.
The 12,123gt vessel was sold out of the fleet in 1972 to J.C. Carras interests, of Piraeus.
At the time, and with containerisation already starting to make its mark on global trading patterns, many would have thought the future would not look too bright for this conventional cargo liner.
But in 1974, the ship was converted into a cruise ship at the Chalkis shipyard.
However, the ship's career almost ended when it was damaged by fire while undergoing repairs at Genoa in December 1991.
Although it was declared a constructive total loss, the hulk was sold the following year, rebuilt and returned to service in 1993.
Two years ago next Friday, another historically important Harland and Wolff-built vessel was ceremoniously welcomed back to its birthplace after spending most of its life in French waters.
This small vessel named Nomadic is the only White Star Line vessel still in existence. Over the period from 1868 to 1932, H&W built more than 70 of the White Star Line's vessels.
While a number were built for their Australia and New Zealand services, larger units were ordered for the North Atlantic run.
Nomadic was laid down at Belfast on December 22, 1910, and launched on April 25, 1911.
The 12-knot, twin-screw steamer went on trials on May 16, 1911, and made its maiden voyage on May 31, 1911, the same day that Titanic was launched at Belfast. In comparison to this 46,328gt vessel, Nomadic was a diminutive 1273gt, built especially as a passenger tender for service at Cherbourg.
The pair met up again at the French port before Titanic continued on its ill-fated maiden voyage across the Atlantic.
Although essentially a part of the White Star fleet, Nomadic was registered at Cherbourg to a French company for easier operating and to overcome manning difficulties.
The ship was transferred to another company in 1927 and, after being sold again in 1934 to other French owners, was renamed Ingenieur Minard. The ship served in English waters during World War 2 and its work as a tender ended in 1968.
In 1974, it reverted to the name Nomadic and in 1977 opened as a floating restaurant on the River Seine in Paris.
But after this went out of business the ship lay idle and the owners were thinking of a sale for demolition.
However, Nomadic was saved from this fate when the Department of Social Development in Belfast bought the veteran in January 2006.
It was returned to Belfast on a submersible vessel as this presented the least risk to successfully transporting the vessel back to its birthplace and restoration. Current plans are to move Nomadic to a new home at Hamilton Graving Dock in the Titanic Quarter of the former H&W shipyard.
The dock which is believed to have been used in the construction of the vessel is being refurbished to accommodate it.
Nomadic is now listed on the United Kingdom's National Register of Historic Vessels.
