Scottish Sea Farms has taken delivery of a hybrid diesel-electric workboat, which the company claims is the first vessel of its kind to be used in Scotland's aquaculture sector.
The 15-metre catamaran Laurence Knight was commissioned by Mull-based boat operator Inverlussa Marine Services from Norwegian yard Moen Marin. It entered service on Scotland's west coast in late October.
The boat will run primarily on batteries. It can perform on-farm duties for five to six hours without recharging its batteries from either of the two generators on board.
The long endurance of the batteries means the generators do not need to be running when the boat is tied up alongside a salmon pen, assisting with a harvest or a net installation, for instance.
