Multi-Function Tenders for Trinity House

Remontowa SA built two large, sophisticated multi-purpose buoy and lighthouse tenders for British owners. The contract, signed on March 11, 2004 in London, by the representatives of Trinity House and Remontowa S.A. calls for the construction and delivery of two 82 m Multi-Function Tenders (MFTs), one for Northern Lighthouse Board (Pharos) and one for Trinity House (to be named Galatea) - both were delivered, as well as one 35 m Rapid Intervention Vessel (RIV) for Trinity House (Alert).

The ships were built to the high technical standards demanded by the General Lighthouse Authorities for the exacting operations they conduct around our coast.
The tendering process to select the shipyard to build the vessels followed the requirements of the EU Procurement Directives. Remontowa SA has won the contract in fierce competition with several premier European yards.
Both vessels were designed and built for service as Multi Function Tenders operated throughout all seasons round the coasts of Scotland and the Isle of Man by the Northern Lighthouse Board and the coasts of England, Wales and the Channel Islands by Trinity House Lighthouse Service. The vessels are interchangeable and capable of supporting each other’s roles.

The primary functions of both vessels is to lay, retrieve and maintain navigation buoys together with their associated moorings. In addition, the vessels are designed with the capability to carry out other offshore roles, including towing, hydrographic surveys, attendance at wrecks and wreck finding, lighthouse support, transportation of personnel, plant and equipment to offshore stations and support of safe workboat and helicopter operations.
Vessels are arranged with a large area open clear working deck aft serviced by a 30 tonne S.W.L. electro-hydraulic crane and arranged for the secure stowage of Class +1, Class 1 and Class II buoys with a designated clear area for vertical replenishment helicopter operations aft and helicopter landing area forward.
The mentioned aft working deck and associated buoy/chain handling and lifting machinery and cranes, together with the stability and sea-keeping of the vessels, is optimised to provide a safe working platform and a safe operation for lifting and deploying aids to navigation, utilising the minimum of crew in prevailing conditions up to and including BF6 with significant wave height of 2,0 m.

Vessels are capable of slow speed close quarters manoeuvrability for accurate station keeping up to Beaufort Force 6. Vessels are fitted with double redundancy Dynamic Positioning system (DP2) maintaining station ±2m for the deployment and recovery of navigation buoys and other roles.
The vessels are propelled by a multi prime mover diesel electric propulsion installation complete with power management system (PMS) driving twin fixed pitch open propeller azimuthing units arranged aft and twin fixed pitch transverse tunnel thrusters forward. The ships are fitted with integrated bridge management system. They also have additional accommodation for other staff and passengers and are built to the latest environmental standards.
The vessels are built of steel, with the hull sub-divided by watertight bulkheads and fitted with wing tanks and double bottom structure extending throughout the length of the vessel. Double bottom and deep tanks are arranged for the carriage of oil fuel, fresh water and water ballast. All storage tanks for fuel oil and lubricating oil are kept clear of hull side shell plating and double bottom tanks.

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