SCHOTTEL to Provide Propulsion for Northern Lighthouse Board’s New Vessel
SCHOTTEL has been chosen by Spanish shipyard GONDAN to provide the propulsion package for the Northern Lighthouse Board’s (NLB) newest vessel, POLE STAR. The ship was officially named on January 21, 2026 by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Designed to maintain and service lighthouses, buoys, and other marine aids to navigation, POLE STAR requires high maneuverability supported by reliable propulsion. To meet these demands, the vessel is equipped with two SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers type SRP 460 LE and two TransverseThrusters type STT 2. This thruster configuration provides a high level of system redundancy, enhancing the vessel’s reliability and operational safety. It fully supports the vessel’s advanced dynamic positioning (DP) capabilities, ensuring precise station-keeping even under demanding conditions.
In line with NLB’s commitment to efficiency and sustainability, both SRPs are installed in the LE-Drive variant (“embedded L-Drive”). The vertically integrated electric drive motor eliminates the need for an upper gearbox, resulting in higher mechanical efficiency, reduced fuel consumption and lower vibration and noise levels. Its low installation height also enables a particularly compact integration into the vessel. To further reduce noise and vibration, the STTs feature an elastically mounted well installation, significantly enhancing onboard comfort. This design also allows an inspection of the thrusters inside the thruster room for maintenance purposes.
To meet environmental requirements, the thrusters are equipped with SCHOTTEL LeaCon, a DNV-type approved seal monitoring system that offers safe and reliable protection against seawater contamination from lubricating oil. LeaCon also monitors seal condition, enabling early detection of operational wear and reducing the risk of unscheduled maintenance.
The new POLE STAR replaced the fourth vessel of the same name, which reached the end of its economic service life after many years of dependable operation. The newbuild is designed to conduct hydrographic surveys as well as buoy and lighthouse servicing across Scotland and the Isle of Man.
