A buoy tender is a type of vessel used to maintain and replace navigational buoys. This term can also apply to an actual person who does this work.

USCGC Obion, a river buoy tender, maintaining navigational buoys on the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky.

The United States Coast Guard uses buoy tenders to accomplish one of its primary missions of maintaining all U.S. aids to navigation (ATON).[1]

The Canadian Coast Guard uses multi-use vessels (most being icebreakers) with tasks including buoy tending.[2]

Types of coast guard buoy tenders

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Maritime Gendarmerie buoy tender Provence

United States Coast Guard

 
CCGS buoy tender Samuel Risley

Canadian Coast Guard

Other buoy tenders

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Many coastal States have buoy tenders to maintain aids to navigation in and around their coastal waters. In the UK, this includes lighthouse authorities, including the Northern Lighthouse Board and Trinity House who ships maintain buoys as well as acting as lighthouse tenders.[3][4]

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ "Aids to Navigation – Mapping the Waters | GoCoastGuard.com". www.gocoastguard.com. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  2. ^ "Icebreaker Fleet". Canadian Coast Guard. May 6, 2019.
  3. ^ "Shipbuilders invited to industry day on buoy tender replacement". Riviera. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Buoys Are Back In Town". Trinity House. Retrieved 5 June 2024.