VESSEL REVIEW | AQS Tor – Heavy duty fish farm support boat enters service with Norway’s AQS

Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Magnus Holm
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Magnus Holm
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Norwegian aquaculture workboat operator AQS has acquired a new fish farm support vessel built by Moen Marin at its facilities in Norway and Croatia.

Designed by Marin Design, the all-steel AQS Tor has an LOA of 23.98 metres, a beam of 11.2 metres, and a moulded depth of 4.2 metres. It is the third monohull workboat in a series to be built by Moen Marin for AQS for use in various support activities at the owner's fish farms that are situated just off the coast of Norway.

<em>Photo: Palfinger Croatia</em>
Photo: Palfinger Croatia

AQS Tor and its 2016-built near identical sister vessels AQS Namdal and AQS Troll are intended to function as middle-level fish farm support workboats in the AQS fleet. On one hand, these three vessels are capable of operating in areas that are too restrictive for AQS' two 37-metre supply vessels. The three sisters also possess greater cargo capacity and improved multi-role capability compared to the company's 15-metre high-speed catamarans.

AQS Tor is equipped with two Palfinger Marine cranes of 150 tonnes and 90 tonnes capacity, 60-tonne and 15-tonne double work/towing winches, and a shark jaw/tow stick module. A large aft working deck boasts 137 square metres of open space that can accommodate up to 125 tonnes of assorted cargo.

<em>Photo: Moen Marin</em>
Photo: Moen Marin

The newbuild is also equipped to operate as a mothership for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) as well as a dive support vessel. There is an onboard ROV hangar, storage areas for diving gear, and a dedicated ROV and diving console in the wheelhouse. The wheelhouse itself features ergonomic design elements as well as a high degree of automation to enable only one crewmember to operate the vessel via a split control station.

The Caterpillar C32 main engine produces 746 kW at 1,600 rpm to drive a nozzle-housed, four-bladed propeller. This enables AQS Tor to reach a service speed of 9.5 knots and a free running speed of 11 knots. A pair of 186kW bow thrusters guarantee more precise manoeuvring during berthing/unberthing and ensure adequate station keeping when the vessel is alongside the offshore fish farms that it is tasked with supporting.

<em>Photo: Moen Marin</em>
Photo: Moen Marin

The vessel's navigation and communications suite consists of a radar, an echosounder, a VHF radio, and a navigational watch system supplied by Furuno, an Olex chart plotter, a Telchart dual ECDIS, and an internal communications setup from Phototeck. Aiding the crew in operating the vessel are cameras situated on the working deck, in the engine room, and even underwater to allow real-time monitoring of the condition of the propeller. Caterpillar C18 and C7.1 diesel generators supply power for the onboard systems.

The onboard accommodations were designed to ensure improved comfort. This is especially true for the single cabins that will house the vessel's standard crew of six. A mess with galley has been incorporated as well.

<em>Photo: Moen Marin</em>
Photo: Moen Marin
AQS Tor
SPECIFICATIONS
Type of vessel:Fish farm support vessel
Flag:Norway
Owner:AQS, Norway
Operator:AQS, Norway
Designer:Marin Design, Norway
Builder:Moen Marin, Norway
Hull construction material:Steel
Superstructure construction material:Steel
Deck construction material:Steel
Length overall:23.98 metres
Beam:11.2 metres
Depth:4.2 metres
Capacity:125 tonnes
Main engine:Caterpillar C32, 746 kW at 1,600 rpm
Propulsion:Finnøy G42FK four-bladed propeller
Generators:Caterpillar C18, 275 ekW at 1,500 rpm; Caterpillar C7.1, 118 ekW at 1,500 rpm
Side thrusters:2 x 186 kW
Maximum speed:11 knots
Cruising speed:9.5 knots
Radar:Furuno
Depth sounder:Furuno
Radios:Furuno VHF; Phototeck
Plotters:Olex
Alarm/monitoring system:Furuno navigational watch system
Cameras/night vision:6
Other electronics:Telchart ECDIS; mLink; ScanReco RC400 crane remote control system
Winches:Double work/towing winch; anchor handling winch
Capstans:2
Cranes:Palfinger PK150002; Palfinger PK90002
Other deck equipment:SHM chain lock with towing pins; stern roller; loading hatch; high-pressure washer
Interior fitout/furnishings:ROV hangar
Type of fuel:Diesel
Fuel capacity:40,000 litres
Freshwater capacity:20,000 litres
Accommodation:6 x single cabins; mess with galley
Crew:6

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