Press Releases - back to Press                                                                                   22 June 2005

MV PHAROS heads for South for inspection at
International Fleet Review

The Northern Lighthouse Board vessel MV PHAROS sets sail from Oban late Wednesday (22 June) to head south for the International Fleet Review at Spithead off Portsmouth. The Fleet Review commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and starts the Royal Navy’s Trafalgar 200 series of events. The sail south will take PHAROS two days, where she will then take part in a full rehearsal before the big event on Tuesday, which will be attended by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The Fleet Review is a rare event dating back over 600 years, the last being for The Queens Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977. Over 30 countries will be taking part, involving a unique range of sea vessels - from romantic tall ships of yesteryear to the powerful warships of today - on a truly grand scale, it is scheduled as being the biggest ever multinational gathering of ships in history

James Taylor, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board said “It is a great honour for the Board to be asked to be represented in the Fleet Review, the staff and Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses are proud to be flying the flag for the Board and Scotland. Following the Review the PHAROS will return north to resume her normal duties in the Northern Isles”.

More information about the International Fleet Review and the events commemorating Admiral Lord Nelson and the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar is available from www.trafalgar200.com, www.seabritain2005.com, www.festivalofthesea.co.uk.

Notes to 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: 207 Lighthouses, 144 Buoys, 46 Beacons, 4 Differential Global Positioning System Stations, 22 Radar Beacons.

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).

5. The Northern Lighthouse Board is certificated to ISO9001:2000 standard for the provision of navigational aid services to seafarers and other organisations around the coast of Scotland and Isle of Man. Certification covers the design and maintenance of navigational aids and systems, logistical support and associated technical services including consultancy. The Board is also certified to The International Safety Management Code, (ISM Code) in respect of our ships and marine management systems and OHSAS 18001.

For further information, please contact:

Northern Lighthouse Board
Lorna Hunter, Information Officer
Tel 0131 473 3100
Fax 0131 220 2093
Email: enquiries@nlb.org.uk
www.nlb.org.uk