As the fifth vessel to bear the name POLE STAR, the ship will support the Northern Lighthouse Board’s vital role in maintaining and managing lighthouses, buoys, and other marine aids to navigation across Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Master Chris Somerville said: “It’s a brilliant feeling to sail our new vessel into Oban Bay, and to be escorted in by the Oban Lifeboat crew is the best Christmas present we could wish for.

“We left Gijon in Spain on December 22, and the vessel has proved to be excellent. We experienced some rough weather for the first 12 hours of the passage in Biscay, then again some rough wind waves as we approached Bishop Rock in the Isles of Scilly, but the ship dealt with this very well.

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“We are now looking forward to getting POLE STAR into service to support our vital safety service for mariners in Scottish and Isle of Man waters.”

The 70-metre vessel marks an important step towards more sustainable maritime operations, using new technology to minimise the impact on the environment and additional capability to help deal with the effects of climate change.

NLB announced the award of a £51.8 million contract to Spanish shipyard GONDAN in December 2022 for the build of the new hybrid powered vessel.

The tender included a commitment to place over £2 million of contracts with UK suppliers with a requirement for any contract over £25k to be advertised in the UK.

As part of the deal Gondán also created a special fully funded internship programme for up to 15 UK based students who benefited from a range of placements at the yard during the vessel’s construction.

Speaking after the contract was awarded for the ship, then Maritime Minister Baroness Vere said: “This new vessel will deliver vital stores and supplies to lighthouses along the coastline and help to carry out important buoy work, providing a crucial service to the wider maritime sector and upholding world-class levels of safety in our waters.

“As we continue working to deliver Maritime 2050 and decarbonise, it’s great to see the new POLE STAR will also be much greener than its predecessor and make use of innovative technology to reduce emissions, while supporting jobs and skills in the UK.”

NLB operates two ships NLV PHAROS and NLV POLE STAR. The ships carry out buoy work, deliver stores and supplies to lighthouses and inspect navigation aids on oil and gas rigs in the Scottish sector.

The new vessel follows a tradition started in 1892 by being the fifth NLB vessel to bear the name POLE STAR.