There were renewed fears over the future of the struggling Belfast ship yard Harland & Wolff last night after two days of negotiations with its last remaining customer, Global Marine, over a disputed payment.

The shipyard has lodged a £133.2 million sterling claim with the Texan-based contract drilling firm for compensation as a result of additional work it says was requested on two vessels currently under construction.

If the talks fail, there is speculation that the yard would go into receivership within days.

A spokesman for Harland & Wolff would not comment last night on what had emerged from the negotiations.