*TEST PAGE *
Our Vision:
Irish Lights will be a dynamic, forward facing maritime organisation, concisous of our long history and poised to
deliver future safe, smart and sustainable maritime services - at the interface of navigation , technology, data and engineering.
Our Mission:
Safe Navigation at Sea - To be a leading provider of reliable, efficent and cost-effective navigation and meritime services
for the safety of all
New Strategy
‘Safe Seas – Connected Coasts’ 2018 – 2023, broadens the focus we had in the last strategy from three Pillars to five Focus Areas of Activity. It underlines the primacy of our AtoN activity and strengthens our commitment to new activities, which were developed in the last five years and are demonstrating real potential and tangible results.
Aids to Navigation – A Critical National Infrastructure
Aids to Navigation (AtoN) are a Critical National Infrastructure for the maritime sector. This is due to their direct impact on the safety of navigation which facilitates commerce (with over 90% of goods transported by sea), protects lives, property, our seas and coastlines. Irish Lights provides a reliable, technologically advanced, fixed and floating infrastructure supporting associated data and monitoring services, which is essential for all those who operate around the island of Ireland.
Building on the platform of change that has been delivered over the last five years, Irish Lights is excited to chart the next stage of its evolution. We have accordingly set ourselves six ambitious outcomes to deliver over the period 2018 - 2023. These outcomes reflect the modern role of Irish Lights delivering navigation, safety and allied maritime services and supporting the growth of the maritime economy.
(1) For the Safety of All
Irish Lights will continue to focus on the delivery of reliable and value-for-money navigation and safety services. We are committed to listening to stakeholders and being proactive and innovative in our approach to the development of these services for the safety and benefit of all. We are proud to operate an extensive network of aids to navigation services around the island of Ireland and to provide a depth and breadth of expertise at the interface of navigation, engineering, technology and data management. Our relationship with Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board ensures that we harness knowledge, share resources and achieve economies of scale to deliver to maximum efficiency. As a modern organisation we are committed to working with partners in the public and private sectors to develop our role as a key member of the value chain of maritime safety services on the island of Ireland.
(2) International Maritime Leadership
The nature of AtoN services is that they must be internationally standardised to serve a global industry. Technology development and convergence requires that, over the period of this strategy Irish Lights exercises a far broader international influence than was the case in the past. We will do this by proactively engaging with international bodies such as the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to achieve early influence on developments related to policy, regulation and standards that impact on navigation safety and through sharing information, expertise and resources to the benefit of all parties.
(3) Technological Innovation
Across the maritime sector there is recognition of the increasing pace of technological development and the role technology and innovation can play to improve safety and performance. In delivering this strategy, Irish Lights will continue to lead on the adoption of new technology that delivers safety and economic benefits for the maritime sector. We will contribute to the work of our colleagues in R&RNAV (the GLA research and development unit) working with them to ensure outcomes which deliver value in terms of improved services, efficiencies or revenue. We will actively engage with companies that innovate in our areas of interest, for the trial and implementation of advanced engineering, communications and data technologies.
We will continue to engage in ongoing consultations with regulators, providers and users as appropriate. In particular we will ensure user input into the selection and development of emerging technology solutions.
(4) Collaboration and Partnership
Irish Lights works closely with a matrix of local, national and international partners who collaborate with us to enable us to deliver a diverse suite of services. Essential to our success is our relationships with key maritime agencies and local authorities around the coast of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Over the period of this strategy we will strengthen our existing partnerships to support the delivery of key services and where necessary, form new partnerships for added value and commercial service delivery.
(5) Contributing to the Wider Maritime Economy
Ireland and the United Kingdom are maritime nations that rely heavily on seaborne trade, a high quality marine environment and a diverse range of maritime economic activities to underpin development in coastal areas. There is significant commitment to the maritime sector across both islands with investment, trade and employment growth projected. Over the period of this strategy Irish Lights will seek to strengthen the contribution that it makes to the wider maritime economy by targeting our expertise, asset base and proven technological capabilities to deliver maximum value and public good services in the interests of our stakeholders, coastal communities and the wider economy.
(6) Safeguarding the Past for the Future
While our focus in this strategy is very much on the future, we know that in facing this future we are building on the ingenuity and resilience of the people who worked in Irish Lights over the generations. Moreover we have in our stewardship a tangible legacy of the past in the unique set of heritage assets which we own and these have significant value and potential in the development of tourism, education, research and community based initiatives. Over the period of this strategy, we will continue to build on the international success of our ‘all island’ tourism initiative, Great Lighthouses of Ireland and we will work with third parties to protect, develop and promote our unique archive and heritage assets for the benefit of the Irish public.
As the strategy unfolds over the period 2018 to 2023 we will work closely with all stakeholders to meet their evolving needs and to achieve our vision.
Building on Success
Charting Our Future Course, the Irish Lights Strategy 2012-2017, was the catalyst for a major process of change, which required considerable commitment and dedication from employees and support from stakeholders. The strategy, successfully delivered against a backdrop of significant financial and operational challenges, has resulted in the cost effective provision of a suite of diverse, high quality, technologically enabled, navigation and allied commercial, value added services. In addition, a new innovative all island lighthouse tourism initiative was successfully launched internationally, protecting and developing our unique maritime heritage assets for the public good. The process of change has created a leaner, more agile organisation which provides a solid platform for the future as we look forward to the next phase of development out to 2023.
*** NEW STRATEGY TEXT ***
This 2025 – 2030 strategy is being written in a period when the importance of secure international maritime supply chains is becoming better understood. Events such as the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Suez Canal closure, Brexit, and geo-political conflicts, have all highlighted the importance of safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime transport. AtoN, and their integration into the wider suite of maritime safety and environmental services that mariners rely on have a critical role to play in supporting our maritime economy.
This strategy builds on a solid base of achievement, progress and continuity while taking account of some new and exciting drivers of strategic change. These include the shared and changing nature of the sea space around us, changes in technology, digitisation of services, the challenges of climate change and biodiversity and the evolution of regulations and standards. The heightened focus on offshore renewable energy and its strategic potential for Ireland is a case in point.
Irish Lights is and has been for over two centuries, a trusted provider of services and expertise to ensure safe navigation at sea around the island of Ireland, north and south. Retaining, growing and developing our expert and dedicated employees and ensuring our assets and infrastructure are operating effectively and reliably is critical to maritime safety around our coast. This strategy sets out clear goals and objectives for Irish Lights over the period 2025 - 2030 and the allied activities, resources and infrastructure required to deliver this service.
At the heart of this strategy is a commitment by Irish Lights to navigational safety at sea and around our coast, the adoption of effective and sustainable technologies, the protection and enhancement of our maritime environment and the sharing of our heritage with coastal communities. This is driven by our history, sense of place, our values, and our links to our user and stakeholder community. Building on our history and enduring values, we look forward, through the implementation of this strategy, to ensuring that Irish Lights continues to make a vital contribution to the maritime sector and the wider economy over the next five years and beyond.
This strategy builds on the success of our 2018 - 2024 strategy and reflects changes in the wider international maritime sector, significant national regulatory changes, and important feedback from our stakeholders through our ongoing consultation processes and our 2024 Stakeholder Survey.
The primary focus area for our strategy will always be Safe Navigation and this is captured in Focus Area (1) which reflects our core statutory safety functions and evolving industry, and maritime safety requirements linked to the strategic drivers of change analysed in Section 3.
To reflect the significance of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and the National Marine Planning Framework as a co-ordinating context for marine planning, development and protection, we have introduced a new Focus Area (2) to demonstrate the importance of Leadership, Collaboration and Alignment with related policies and organisations at national and international level.
In response to stakeholder feedback (see Section 4), we have elevated our actions on climate change and our commitment to sustainability, environment, and biodiversity, into a new strategic Focus Area (3).
We maintain our commitment to the coastal communities in which we work and to safeguarding our heritage and developing the Great Lighthouses of Ireland all-island tourism initiative in Focus Area (4).
Delivering Excellence and our ongoing commitment to our Values in Focus Area (5) reflects the importance we attach to our employees, their professionalism and expertise, and the delivery and development of our services in an agile, efficient, innovative and effective manner. We further benefit in this area from the sharing of expertise and resources with our sister organisations in Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board and our shared General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) Research and Development team (GRAD).
*** DRIVERS OF CSTRATEGIC CHANGE ***
This strategy has been developed against a backdrop of change in the wider marine sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland recognising the critical importance of safe and efficient marine navigation to protect lives and promote the economy, trade, the environment and quality of life.
The strategy for the provision of Aids to Navigation is to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible navigation for all users. The 2018–2024 Safe Seas – Connected Coasts strategy focused heavily on driving innovation in service provision and building resilience into our AtoN systems to ensure safe navigation. These core objectives remain. The analysis in that strategy that the likely timeline for the emergence of any new IALA approved AtoN systems was 10 to 15 years has been proven correct and remains the case.
However, while there is continuity, there are also significant changes to the trends and drivers which inform this strategy. Irish Lights has identified nine key drivers of change that will influence this strategy over the period to 2030 and beyond.
Drivers of Strategic Change to 2030 and Beyond
- A Shared and Changing Sea Space
- Trade Patterns and Mix of Vessels
- The Future Mariner
- International and National Maritime Legislation, Standards and additional Compliance Requirements
- Changes in Technology
- Thought / Knowledge Leadership and Recognised Expertise on Navigation and Safety
- Sustainability, Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity
- Maritime Safety and Security
- Key Asset Replacement and Contract Renewals
