VESSEL REVIEW | Prion – Falklands operator adds factory trawler to squid catching fleet

Spain’s Nodosa Shipyard recently handed over a new freezer trawler to Falkland Islands-based Petrel Fishing Company, a company under Spain’s Pescapuerta Group. Named Prion, the newbuild was also designed by Nodosa and will be used primarily for squid fishing in the South Atlantic.

Designed with a reduced environmental impact

The trawler has a length of 85 metres (280 feet), a beam of 14 metres (46 feet), and a gross tonnage of 2,500, making it one of the largest vessels to be acquired by Petrel Fishing. An optimised hull form and an inverted bow help enhance efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Silicone paint was used on the hull for its lower environmental impact and for reducing surface resistance.

The 5,220kW (7,000hp) main engine and the auxiliary engines are capable of operating with reduced emissions, thus permitting the vessel to navigate in the environmentally sensitive fishing grounds off the Falklands. An energy recovery system has also been incorporated to allow the waste heat generated by the engines to be converted into electrical energy for consumption on board.

The deck equipment includes three cranes that are strategically located. This will permit a combination of loading and unloading operations to be carried out simultaneously as safely as possible.

Ammonia is meanwhile used as refrigerant for the freezing equipment due to its reduced environmental impact. The vessel has segregated receiving areas so that catch is not at risk of deterioration or being crushed, therefore allowing it to be kept in optimum condition and to be frozen quickly.

Deck and equipment arrangement ensuring efficiency and safety

The factory deck meanwhile boasts an ergonomic layout and semi-automated tray loading and unloading systems for greater efficiency and for reducing the overall need for heavy lifting. The factory equipment includes processing gear supplied by Josmar.

Nodosa said that, thanks to the vessel’s innovative and efficient design, it is possible to reduce the number of people required for deck operations. In addition, the crew will work while being better protected against inclement weather, thus minimising the risk of accidents.

The crew accommodation spaces feature a mix of one- and two-person cabins for housing 78 personnel who will work in shifts, thus ensuring compliance with labour legislation. A separate cabin and office spaces are also available for use by fisheries observers who will be embarked in addition to the crew. In order to mitigate the risk of seabird interactions, bird-scaring devices will be fitted permanently on the vessel.

Offal tanks are also incorporated so that batch discarding can occur when the crew is not engaged in fishing activities. A modern incinerator will meanwhile reduce the total amount of waste that the vessel will discharge upon its return to port.