Lighthouse tender
Lighthouse tenders are workboats that have been built for the supply and maintenance of lighthouses on small islands or shallows .
Lighthouse tenders were used worldwide for the manned lighthouses that could not be reached from the mainland. They had cabins and cargo holds to beacon guards , technicians to transport, materials and supplies to the outlying stations. These ships were operated, for example, by the Commissioners of Irish Lights , the Trinity House and Northern Lighthouse Board and the United States Coast Guard .
The automation of the lighthouses has eliminated the need for regular staff exchanges, and helicopters are increasingly being used for maintenance and repairs . For this reason, pure lighthouse tenders are no longer profitable for many authorities and over time they have been replaced by more versatile multi-purpose ships that can also perform the tasks. The following pictures show the development of this type of ship.
Fir
US Coast Guard
(1939-1991)
Cape Don
Commonwealth Lighthouse Service
(1962–1990)
Almirante Graça Aranha
Marinha do Brasil
(since 1976)
Patricia
Trinity House
(since 1982)
Pharos
Northern Lighthouse Board
(since 2007)
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