Harland and Wolff, the Belfast shipyard that built the Titanic, was put into administration on Monday after its bankrupt Norwegian owner failed to find a buyer and calls for its nationalization were rebuffed.
The shipyard, whose towering yellow cranes dominate the Northern Irish city's skyline, has been occupied by workers fearful for their jobs since last week. They said on Monday they would block administrators from entering the site.
"BDO have been appointed as administrators and the company will file for insolvency tomorrow," a Harland and Wolff spokesman said.