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£3.2m Modernisation of Northern Lighthouse Board's Depot in Oban

The Northern Lighthouse Board today announced that it has awarded a £3.2million contract to modernise its Depot in Oban to RJ McLeod, of Glasgow and Dingwall. Work is scheduled to start immediately and will be complete by the end of the year.

The modernisation involves the construction of:

· a new building to accommodate buoy refurbishment, storage and engineering workshop functions,

· infill works to extend the surface area of the Board's pier and hardstanding,

· improvements to the access arrangements and the junction with Gallanach Road.

The Depot is the base port for MV PHAROS, the Board's main operations vessel which supplies equipment and materials to lighthouses, ferries maintenance and survey crews to lighthouses, and retrieves and replaces buoys to and from Oban for refurbishment. It is also the base for the Board's helicopter operations on the West coast and is used occasionally by Scottish Air Ambulance Service.

Whilst the Board currently employs eight staff at the Depot, a sizeable proportion of the crews of MV PHAROS and the Board's second vessel, MV POLE STAR, are also from the Oban area.

James Taylor, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board said "the modernisation of the Depot is long overdue. Although the depot has not altered essentially since it was built in 1904, work patterns and health & safety legislation have changed considerably. The new layout and facilities will provide a much improved and safer working environment for our workforce and will ensure that the Board continues to operate an efficient and cost effective service for the mariner. The competition for the modernisation contract was extremely tough and we are delighted to be working with RJ McLeod. Work is starting immediately and the Depot will fully operational by the end of the year, which is fantastic news."

Notes to the Editor

1. The Northern Lighthouse Board operates under statute - the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 - and is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man.

2. The Board currently operates: 200 Lighthouses, 118 Buoys, 42 Beacons, 3 Differential Global Positioning System Stations, 22 Radar Beacons and 16 Fog Signals.

3. The Northern Lighthouse Board is funded entirely from the General Lighthouse Fund, sourced by "Light Dues", a levy paid by shipping. The Board receives no direct funding from the Exchequer or taxpayer.

4. The other General Lighthouse Authorities are the Commissioners of Irish Lights (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) and Trinity House Lighthouse Service (England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar).

For further information, please contact:

Lorna Hunter, Information Officer
Tel 0131 473 3100
Fax 0131 220 2093

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