Northern Lighthouse Board News

The Northern Lighthouse Board welcomed Mike Kane MP to the organisation’s Orkney Base in Kirkwall and Hoy High Lighthouse on the Isle of Graemsay, on Wednesday 28 August 2024.  In addition to a briefing on NLB’s work to protect lives, property, and the environment through the provision of maritime aids to navigation, the Minister met NLB Technicians and visited Hoy High lighthouse. Sustainability Mike Kane MP said, “Lighthouses stand as beacons of safety throughout th...

After more than ten years of work and four diplomatic conferences, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) is proud to announce that, effective August 22, 2024, they will officially change the status from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO). Based on a Convention ratified or acceded to by 34 States to date, the new status represents a significant victory for multilateralism and ocean governance, ma...

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) emergency towing vessel (ETV), Ievoli Black, is carrying out a training exercise in Scapa Flow, on Wednesday 10 July 2024. Exercise Stromness, which involves the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) vessel Pole Star, is supported by Orkney Islands Council’s Marine Services. MCA, ETV and NLB personnel Exercise Controller Paul Tunstall, MCA Counter Pollution and Salvage Officer, Scottish Islands and Northern Ireland, said: "The nature of this...

The Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man announced on 12 December 2022, the Award of a £51.8 million contract to Spanish shipyard Astilleros Gondán S.A, for the build of a state-of-the-art hybrid powered ship to support its vital safety service to mariners. Gondán is a well-established and highly respected family business with a track record of delivering quality vessels.  The tender includes a commitment to...

NLV PHAROS, one of the two Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) ships which service and maintain the lighthouses and other marine Aids to Navigation in Scotland and the Isle of Man will be berthed alongside the Victoria Pier, Douglas Harbour in July 2022. The vessel - NLV PHAROS will be holding open days on Saturday - 23 July, 2022 and Sunday - 24 July, 2022, from 2 pm to 4 pm, when the public will get a chance to have a tour of the ship and find out about the work of the Northern Lighthouse Board....

Dick Welsh is to join the Northern Lighthouse Board as the new Isle of Man Commissioner. Mr. Welsh, who received an MBE in the January 2020 Honours List for services to the maritime community on the Isle of Man and Worldwide, will serve for a three-year term, from 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2025. Strategic leadership Mike Bullock, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board said, “We are looking forward to welcoming Dick to NLB. From a Merchant Navy Cadetship to a serving Engineer Office...