MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pharos SG preparing for Falklands' duties

A vessel originally launched in Port Glasgow by The Queen is back in Greenock, before heading for a new life in the South Atlantic sailing around the Falkland Islands as a Fisheries Patrol, reports the British press.

Pharos SG was launched at Ferguson's in December 1992 for the Northern Lighthouse Board as a multi-purpose lighthouse tender.

She has now been sold to Byron Marine of Southampton and The Falklands, who already have two ships in the South Atlantic.

They are getting modifications done at Greenock's Garvel Clyde drydock to ready the Pharos for a contract with the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands government.

The Pharos SG will work on fishery patrol and logistic support, as well as carrying passengers.

David Allan, one of the owners of Byron Marine who was born in the Falklands, said they chose Garvel because of its good reputation and proximity to the Pharos's home port of Oban. He said: "I'm very happy with the work being done at Garvel. "It's a two-week job and we're due to finish it in about a week."

The modifications include new workboats, extra navigation and communications equipment. The vessel will also be repainted signal red.

Pharos, now re-named Pharos 1XSG, will leave for another British port to take on stores before heading off for the four-week trip to the Falklands.

Ferguson's lost out on a bid to build a Northern Lighthouse Board replacement for the Pharos.

The new boat is being built at the Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, and is due for delivery in December.