VARD wins public tender to construct two hybrid buoy tenders for Trinity House

Norwegian shipbuilder VARD has been awarded a public tender contract by UK lighthouse authority Trinity House to construct two hybrid multi-function vessels. Designed for buoy handling and hydrographic surveys, the methanol-ready VARD 9 601 vessels will replace aging fleet assets, with deliveries scheduled for 2029.

Shipbuilding firm VARD has secured a public tender contract from Trinity House to design and build two advanced multi-function buoy and lighthouse maintenance vessels, with vessel deliveries scheduled for the second and fourth quarters of 2029. According to official disclosures, the new ships will utilize the VARD 9 601 design developed by Vard Marine in Canada alongside Vard Design in Norway, replacing the UK authority's aging fleet assets, the THV Patricia and THV Galatea. Construction will leverage VARD's integrated supply chain, with primary shipbuilding hosted at the group's facilities in Norway. Headquartered in Norway, VARD-a subsidiary of Italian defense and shipbuilding conglomerate Fincantieri-is a international builder of specialized offshore and specialized maritime vessels. Trinity House serves as the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar, managing critical maritime navigational safety infrastructure.

The fleet renewal initiative represents a major upgrade to Britain's maritime safety infrastructure and emergency navigational hazard response capabilities. Operating on a hybrid propulsion setup, the vessels feature an onboard energy storage system exceeding 3,600 kilowatt-hours alongside shore-power connections, enabling zero-emission operations while docked at quay and peak-shaving functionality during transit. Furthermore, the design incorporates architectural provisions for future conversion to methanol fuel, aligning with stricter international maritime decarbonization targets. To support domestic maritime industries, the contract incorporates specific UK-content commitments for British equipment suppliers and establishes a cross-border student apprenticeship exchange program between Norway, Canada, and the UK.

From an industry and policy perspective, the award highlights the ongoing transition of public maritime fleets toward low-emission and future-fuel-ready vessel designs. Government authorities and public maritime agencies across Europe are increasingly mandating environmental standards, advanced dynamic positioning, integrated cybersecurity architectures, and green heating and cooling systems in public vessel procurement programs. This trend is driving adoption of hybrid DC microgrid power systems and real-time cloud energy management tools across the commercial and public maritime sectors.

For maritime investors, shipyards, and marine technology suppliers, the contract underscores strong demand for specialized, multi-role vessels equipped with heavy deck cranes, towing equipment, and survey capabilities. The integration of VARD subsidiaries for internal turnkey solutions-including electrical systems integration by Vard Electro and interior green accommodation solutions by Vard Interiors-demonstrates the strategic commercial advantages of vertically integrated shipbuilding models in winning complex, highly regulated public tenders.