The renowned Norwegian firm of naval architects, Skipteknisk, is responsible for this fine, powerful and tough trawler for Russia's Arctic fleet. It will operate out of Arkhangelsk in the Arctic along with several sister ships.
After a thirty-year hiatus following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is investing in very large fishing vessels again. This time, however, they have very sensibly gone to a Norwegian designer in their quest for economical vessels that produce very high quality seafood.
Built to Ice Class 4, it should safely and relatively comfortably handle fishing operations in some of the world's most miserable conditions. Equipped with the best of everything, this very substantial fishing ship represents a real breakthrough in Russian Arctic fishing operations.
"Barentsevo More is the first factory ship ever built under Russia's 'quota for keel' program," Skipsteknisk told Baird Maritime, explaining a recently introduced policy in Russia that is aimed at expanding the country's fishing vessel fleet. "Also, special emphasis was placed on making sure the vessel's carbon footprint was kept as low as possible."
This then led to the incorporation of emissions reduction features that include a heat recovery system, a more efficient hull design, more efficient propellers, energy-saving electric motors, and common rail main engine technology that guarantees significantly reduced fuel oil consumption (per kWh) compared to standard analogue engines.
The vessel's product handling capability was built with a high degree of automation, thus further reducing onboard manpower requirements. Further, the processed fish products may be loaded onto pallets, which can then be easily unloaded from the ship and loaded onto waiting trucks at transshipment points.
"We believe these attributes make for more flexible logistics," Skipsteknisk commented, "making the vessel a game-changer in fishing operations in the North Atlantic."
Barentsevo More's features that help ensure reduced energy consumption during daily operations were incorporated in response to ever-tightening global emissions regulations. It was indeed a challenge on Skipsteknisk's part, and the Covid-19 pandemic only added to the difficulty. The company, however, remains hopeful about 2021, having already recognised that the worldwide demand for seafood will only continue to grow.
"The recognition we find in the market as a long-term independent ship designer solely focusing on solutions gives us a lot of optimism to carry on in 2021," the company told Baird Maritime.
