VESSEL REVIEW | Elisabeth – All-electric, harsh environment workboat for Norwegian fish farm operator

Helgeland Plast, the vessel building subsidiary of the Akva Group of Norway, has handed over a new all-electric cabin workboat to Vestland County-based salmon farming company Bremnes Seashore.

The newbuild has been named Elisabeth after one of the grandchildren of Bremnes Seashore founder Olav Svendsen. The boat is the first all-electric vessel in the company's 23-strong fleet, which also includes a hybrid-powered workboat and feed barge.

The boat has a length of 8.6 metres, a beam of 2.7 metres, and a displacement of approximately 4.5 tonnes. Although similar in appearance to a standard rigid inflatable boat (RIB), Elisabeth is in fact a rigid buoyancy boat (RBB). Its key differences from a RIB include a self-bailing deck and pontoons filled with polystyrene for enhanced safety.

The 21-degree, V-shaped hull guarantees reduced spray as well as improved stability and seaworthiness, making the craft significantly more capable than a RIB with regards to operating in harsh coastal environments.

The craft belongs to a series of Akva-designed RBBs. Each boat in the series has been hand-crafted to combine the attributes of low maintenance requirements, a shallow draught, excellent manoeuvrability, and the flexibility necessary for operating effectively under even the most extreme conditions that regularly occur in Norway's coastal waters.

This latter capability means Elisabeth can withstand rough sea conditions with significant wave heights of up to four metres and temperatures of as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, which in turn makes it ideal for fish farm support activities at any time of year. The craft's hull is made from recyclable HDPE-100, thus reducing its environmental impact even further.

The boat is powered by an Evoy Hurricane 298kW electric inboard engine connected to a pair of 60kWh batteries and fitted with a cooling system as well as a 44kW onboard charger. The use of all-electric propulsion helps in making aquaculture operations more sustainable by reducing noise and pollution that would otherwise have an adverse effect on farmed fish.

Also, Bremnes Seashore expects the battery operation will guarantee a service life of about 10 years, an important attribute in light of the boat's daily routine involving visits to the company's three different farm sites off Sveio Municipality in Western Norway.

The boat is designed to be crewed by four people though one additional crewmember may be accommodated if necessary. The relatively wide beam translates into ample deck space for transporting approximately 700 kilograms of assorted cargo.

The cabin features insulation, a head, a Simrad radar, and space for a portable fire extinguisher.

For more news, features and vessel reviews as part of this month's Fishing and Aquaculture Week, please click here.