Last Friday, at GONDAN Shipbuilders, Steel Cutting Ceremony for the next Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) buoy tender vessel took place. This milestone marks the start of a project that promises to modernise maritime safety in Scotland and the Isle of Man.
The NLB, which has been responsible for the management of lights, buoys and beacons in the region since 1786, plays an essential role in safe navigation. The new hybrid-powered vessel, to be delivered in mid-2025, will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, advanced navigation systems and will be environmentally friendly.
The new Buoy Tender Vessel, which is set to be delivered in middle 2025, will be one of the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly vessels of its kind. It will feature advanced navigation and communication systems, that will allow hydrographic surveying and wreck finding, as well as a range of energy-efficient technologies that will help reduce its carbon footprint. The new vessel is destined to replace the current NLV POLE STAR, providing NLB the ability to deliver its vital safety services over the next 25 years.
“The steel cutting ceremony is an important milestone as it marks the moment when production starts on the build of the new Pole Star, following an intensive 10-month period of detailed design work,” Day said. “Using new technology to minimize the impact on the environment and with additional capability to help deal with the effects of Climate Change, the new ship will ensure we can continue to deliver our vital safety service in Scottish and Manx waters into the 2050s.”