Gondan launches new buoy tender/survey vessel for Scotland/Isle of Man

Last week Spain's Gondan Shipyards launched the Pole Star for the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), the general authority of lighthouses in Scotland, its seas and adjacent islands, including the Isle of Man.

The vessel successfully left the slipway and entered the Ria del Eo before being towed to a berth at the shipyard.

The new hybrid-powered vessel is equipped with advanced navigation and communications systems, allowing for hydrographic inspections of the seabed, as well as supporting the lighthouse and buoy network of its owner.

Pole Star was designed by OSK Design and Seaplace, has an overall length of 70 metres and a beam of 16 metres, and will accommodate up to 26 crew members.

Pole Star features three hybrid electric propulsion motors, each of 1,860kWe, and a combined total capacity of 4,644kWh of battery capacity.

Three cranes will be fitted, including one with a capacity of 20 tonnes at 14 metres outreach. The ship will now require around nine months of fitting out work before it is ready for delivery.