The shipbuilding company Vard, owned by Fincantieri, has secured a new contract from the UK: the Norwegians are to build two maintenance vessels for buoys and lighthouses.
With these new vessels, Trinity House is pursuing its plan to renew its fleet, which currently consists of three ships. Trinity House is the authority responsible for lighthouse services in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. The new vessels are set to replace the “THV Patricia” and “THV Galatea”.
Following a public tender, the contract was awarded to the Norwegian shipbuilder Vard, a subsidiary of Italian shipbuilding giant Fincantieri. The contract is worth at least €220 million. The vessels will be built based on the ‘Vard 9 601’ design, which was developed by Vard Marine in collaboration with Vard Design in Norway. The vessels are designed as versatile multi-purpose platforms and can be deployed for buoy maintenance, hydrographic surveying and emergency response operations. They are intended to contribute to the maintenance of critical maritime infrastructure in UK waters.
The vessels will be built at one of Vard’s Norwegian shipyards, with the company utilising its global value chain. Delivery is scheduled for the second and fourth quarters of 2029.
“The award of this contract is an important recognition of Vard’s expertise and of Fincantieri’s industrial and technological leadership in complex shipbuilding,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri. “Supporting organisations such as Trinity House means contributing to the safety, reliability and resilience of maritime services through solutions that combine sustainability, innovation and long-term vision. This programme reflects our commitment to developing strategic capabilities that are increasingly shaping the future of the maritime sector – from the energy transition and digitalisation to the safety and resilience of critical systems and infrastructure.”
Potential conversion to methanol propulsion
According to a statement from Vard, the vessels will be fitted with hybrid propulsion systems and battery storage designed to reduce fuel consumption and environmental impact. This enables zero-emission operation whilst berthed in port, as well as more efficient operation whilst underway and during dynamic positioning. The newbuilds have been designed with future adaptability in mind and can be retrofitted for methanol propulsion. This will enable a further reduction in their environmental footprint throughout their operational lifespan.
“In addition to their advanced environmental credentials, the vessels will be fitted with modern digital systems and cyber-security features that ensure the safe and resilient operation of on-board systems,” Vard announced when the order was placed. “This reflects the growing importance of cyber resilience in the maritime sector.”
The contract also includes a training partnership between Vard, Trinity House and Vard Marine (Canada), which promotes the international exchange of knowledge and supports the development of maritime expertise through targeted programmes for trainees and students.
Vard recently secured the largest order in the company’s history to date: the US research institute Inkfish has ordered a new research vessel from the Norwegian firm. The order is worth approximately €700 million. Earlier this year, Ocean Infinity also awarded Vard a contract for four specialised unmanned vessels.
