Spanish shipyard Astilleros Gondan has launched the vessel ‘Pole Star’ for Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), the general lighthouse authority of Scotland, its seas and adjacent islands, including the Isle of Man.
The new vessel, designed by OSK Design and Seaplace, has an overall length of 70m and a beam of 16m, ready to accommodate 26 crew. It has three diesel-electric hybrid propulsion engines with 1860kWe. It has three cranes, and batteries of 4644kWh capacity.
The new hybrid propulsion vessel is equipped with advanced navigation and communications systems, which allows hydrographic inspections of the seabed. In addition, it incorporates energy efficient technologies that help significantly reduce its carbon footprint. This vessel is said to represent an innovation in the management of lighthouses and buoys, combining sustainability and high technology to improve safety and efficiency in operations in Scottish and Isle of Man waters.
Image: launch of NLB vessel ‘Pole Star’ (source: Astilleros Gondan)
