Administrators for Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard are expected to file for insolvency this afternoon.

Accountancy firm BDO was appointed to the firm yesterday evening and is expected to file the papers at Belfast High Court.

The iconic site ceased trading yesterday after its Norwegian parent company failed to find a buyer.

Its 123 staff have been handed redundancy notices – however, workers are refusing to leave the site and are demanding UK Government action to save the historic business.

Harland and Wolff workers speak to the media after voting to continue their occupation of the shipyard, 05-08-2019. Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire/PA Images

GMB union member, Michael Mullholland, said workers are determined to save the company.

“The decision was made to send the strongest possible message to the politicians that these workers – these skilled workers – mean what they have said all along,” he said.

“They want to save their future; they want to save this yard and the want to save the jobs going forward.”

Meanwhile, shipyard worker Paul Beattie said staff are not giving up – despite not receiving pay from today.

“We will stay here until we guarantee that this industry continues in our city and flows back to our community,” he said.

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to visit the workers on his trip to Belfast last week.

Workers have also voiced anger at the DUP – warning the party that they will stand against it in any upcoming general election if it fails to support them.

Employees of Harland and Wolff joined by Shadow chancellor John McDonnell during their protest at the gates of the shipyard in Belfast, 05-08-2019. Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire/PA Images

On a visit yesterday, the Labour Party’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the shipyard should be nationalised to save its jobs, skills and history.

“The Government has got naval contracts it could put here to ensure the long-term future of the yard,” he said.

“I am saying to Boris Johnson very specifically – you can’t just stand on the sidelines when we are not just losing jobs; we are losing the skills and the future of this sector.”

The most famous vessel to come out of the shipyard was the Titanic.

At its pre-World War II peak in 1935, the company employed about 35,000 people.

The Northern Secretary Julian Smith is due to hold a conference call with the workers today.