Update: 01-03-2025All these facilities (lighthouses, bouys) are located in the most difficult places, often far from the inhabited world. In many of these places, especially in the past, it was difficult to get the necessary building materials, supplies and tools on the spot. The lighthouses often stand in places where is no normal road. There are also many lighthouses stands on rocks in the middle of the sea where the necessary materials can only be brought by boat.
This is how we saw in the early years (around 1800) many vessels that had to bring the necessary building materials on the spot. Later vessels delivers supplies at the lighthouse at regular times (1x per 2 to 4 weeks). Later was that the fuel, such as coal and oil, to keep the light burning. In addition, the supplies for the lighthouse guards they were stationed on the lighthouse. And of course, to bring the new crew from and to the lighthouses.
In the beginning it were just simple sloops, more and more vessels were also required to carry out the lighthouse maintenance. Many of the current Aids to Navigation are now provided with solar energy and the maintenance work is now carried out with the use of helicopters present on the vessels.
The following pages shows a list of vessels used by the Northern Lighthouse Board by period. Where possible, images of the vessels are placed in the right-hand column.
Note: Names were re-used, sometimes many times, and the numbers shown in brackets after the names of some vessels are for reference only – they were not carried on the vessels as there was only one vessel of a given name at any one time.
Oban is also the base port for two NLB ships NLV PHAROS and NLV POLE STAR. The NLV Pole Star and NLV Pharos both operate from Oban and are manned by 57 crew members, four engineers and four captains who work in a rotating shift pattern. The ships deliver stores and supplies to lighthouses, carry out buoy work and the statutory inspection of navigation aids provided by ports, harbours and other third parties.| Name: NLB Duty: Construction: History: |
2000 - still in service, - Telephone: +44(0) 7836 298129 Diesel-electric power, through two azimuthing thrusters and two tunnel bow-thrusters. Length over-all: 51.5 meters, Beam 12.0 meters, Draught 3.2 meters. 1174 Gross Registered Tonnage, Service Speed 12 knots, 12-tonne crane, 200 square meter buoy working deck,dynamic positioning. 2000: Built by Ferguson vesselbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban. |
Name: NLB Duty: Construction: History: |
2007 - still in service, - Telephone: +44(0) 7768 818496 Length over-all: 84.25 meter, Design Draught Moulded 4.25 meter, Gross Tonnage: 3672 tonnes, Service Speed 12.5 knots. Buoy Crane Capacity 30 tonnes. Dynamic positioning, large aft working deck, integrated bridge management system, Forward helicopter flight deck, hydrographic surveying, wreck finding. 2007: Built by Gdanska Stocznia "Remontowa" im. J. Pilsudskiego S.A. Based in Oban. |
In 2019, the NLB started the NLV POLE STAR replacement project. In addition to a business case, work has started on drawing up a program of requirements for the new ship. The replacement ship will be slightly larger than the current POLE STAR, but still a ship that mainly focuses on buoy work. Everyone has put a lot of effort into the development of the new ship.
Her detailed design specification ensures improved sea keeping, better and safer buoy servicing operations, towing and firefighting capability. There will also be improved crew accommodation and substantial environmental improvements over its predecessor.
The vessel will enter service in June 2025 and will meet the ambitious environmental targets set out in the UK Government Clean Maritime Plan, whilst future-proofing NLB’s ability to deliver its vital safety services over the next 25 years. But for a long time the big unanswered question remained: what will the new ship be called?
NLB has employed ships since the end of the 18th century. Most of the names were used only once, including the rather grand PRINCE OF WALES, the slightly depressing TERRIBLE and the rather incongruous JANET.
Of the remainder, three were deployed twice: HESPERUS, SKERRYVORE and MAY, with PHAROS being the frontrunner. This has been used ten times, while POLE STAR has been used four times. (See also the following pages of this website) When determining the name of the new ship, the Commissioners Board took many factors into consideration, such as heritage and tradition. Ultimately, it was unanimously decided that the new ship will be the fifth ship to bear the name POLE STAR, continuing a tradition that began in 1892.
The NLB has awarded a £51.8 million contract for the new POLE STAR (V) to the Spanish shipyard Astilleros Gondán SA. Puerto de Figueras, Castropol Asturias. Gondán will build a state-of-the-art hybrid vessel for NLB to support the essential safety service of seafarers, carrying out buoy work, delivering supplies and inspecting aids to navigation on oil and gas platforms in the Scottish sector.
The Spanish shipyard Gondán is a renowned and highly respected family business, with a track record of delivering quality ships. The contract includes a commitment to secure more than £2 million in contracts with UK suppliers and Gondán will also establish a fully funded internship program for up to 15 UK students to gain experience in the shipyard during the ship's construction.
Alvaro Platero, CEO and owner of Gondán said:“We are honoured to have been chosen after a very thorough tender process. Our team worked tirelessly to submit a competitive bid, and we are grateful to NLB for recognizing our efforts. We take great pride in our reputation as a shipyard specialized in the delivery of tailored vessels that perform even on the most demanding conditions and we are committed to upholding that reputation with the construction of this modern and environmentally-friendly vessel.”