ROMA (ITALPRESS) – VARD, Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group and among the world’s leading manufacturers of special ships, has signed a contract for the design and construction of two multifunctional ships destined to the maintenance of boes and lighthouses (Buoy and Lighthouse Maintenance Vessels) for Trinity House, the General Authority of the Fairs for England, Wales, Channel Islands and Gibraltar. The value of the contract is greater than 220 million euros.
Assigned as a result of a public tender, the contract is part of the three-unit Trinity House fleet renewal program. The new ships will replace the THV Patricia and THV Galatea, strengthening the ability of the organization to ensure services of navigation aid that are safe, efficient and reliable and supporting the maintenance of strategic marine infrastructure in the waters of the United Kingdom. The units will be realized on the basis of the VARD 9 601 project, developed by Vard Marine in Canada in collaboration with Vard Design in Norway. Designed as highly versatile multifunctional platforms, the units will combine boe maintenance operations, hydrographic relief activities and emergency response capabilities, supporting Trinity House in carrying out its mission as one of the oldest and most authoritative maritime institutions in the world.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, commented: “The award of this contract represents an important recognition of the skills of VARD and the industrial and technological leadership of Fincantieri in the construction of complex ships. Supporting an organization like Trinity House means contributing to security, reliability and resilience of maritime services and infrastructure through solutions that combine sustainability, innovation and a long-term vision. This program reflects our commitment to the development of strategic capacities that are redefining the future of the maritime sector, from the energy transition and digitization, to the security and resilience of infrastructure and critical systems”.
The units will be equipped with hybrid propulsion systems and battery energy storage systems designed to reduce fuel consumption and environmental impact, allowing zero emissions during the stay in port and ensuring greater efficiency in navigation and dynamic positioning operations. The ships, designed to ensure maximum future adaptability, will also be prepared for a possible conversion to methanol feeding, allowing further reduction of the environmental footprint during their life cycle.
“In addition to the high environmental performance, ships will integrate advanced digital capabilities and cybersecurity systems designed to ensure safe and reliable operation of onboard systems, in line with the increasing importance of computer resilience in the marine sector – reads in a note -. The contract also includes a partnership in the field of training that will involve VARD, Trinity House and Vard Marine in Canada, promoting the international exchange of skills and contributing to the development of professionalism in the arrhythm sector through programs dedicated to apprentices and students. The units will be built by leveraging the integrated industrial model of VARD globally. Deliveries are provided in the second and fourth quarter of 2029 by one of the VARD yards in Norway. This new contract further strengthens VARD’s position in the highly specialized ship market and underlines the role of the Fincantieri Group in guiding innovation, sustainability and technological development in the global maritime industry.”.
– Fincantieri press office photos –
(ITALPRESS).
