New hybrid ship set to service Manx lighthouses 

POLE STAR due to come into service from 2025

Lighthouses on the Isle of Man will be serviced by a new hybrid powered ship from 2025.

The Northern Lighthouse Board, which has responsibility for the Isle of Man and Scotland, has awarded a £51.8 million project to a Spanish shipyard.

It will build a vessel which will deliver vital stores and supplies to lighthouses along the coastline and help carry out important buoy work for the wider maritime sector.

The tender includes a commitment to place more than £2 million of contracts with UK suppliers and an internship programme for up to 15 UK based students.

NLB Chief Executive Mike Bullock said: “This is a really exciting time for us and we are delighted we can now take forward our ambitious plans for the build of a hybrid powered aid to navigation tender to replace NLV POLE STAR, which after 23 years of service is rapidly approaching the end of her economic life.

“The new vessel, which will take the name POLE STAR, will be a step change from what has gone before using new technology to minimise the impact on the environment and will bring additional capability to help deal with the effects of climate change.  

“This will ensure that we can continue to protect mariners and our precious marine environment in Scottish and Manx waters into the 2050s.”