The latest addition to the Austral Fisheries fleet, the new Cape Arkona, is heading around the world for Fremantle in Australia after leaving the Båtgygg yard at Måløy in Norway, with a delivery trip of more than a month ahead.
This unique fishing vessel is designed to be able to switch between three fishing methods in a single trip. While it will fish primarily with longline gear for Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean, Cape Arkona also has capacity to fish with traps and is rigged to trawl for icefish.
The 66.90 metre, 15 metre beam Cape Arkona’s arrangement has been developed between the owners, designers Skipskompetanse and Båtbygg. The hull was built by Marine Projects in Gdansk and brought to Måløy for completion.
The variation in catching methods resulted in a broad operating profile with large differences in power take-offs on propeller and equipment. This has resulted in an unconventional propulsion system with associated battery solution.
Cape Arkona is equipped with a father-son configuration of 1825kW and 1250kW Caterpillar main engines, connected to a Brunvoll gear/propeller plant.
In addition, there are two shaft generators connected to the same gear, one of which can be run as an electric propulsion motor/PTI. This allows power to be adapted to actual consumption, reducing running time and optimising load profile on main engines while reducing fuel consumption and providing a very robust solution. To further reduce consumption and increase safety, a peak-shaving battery solution has been chosen from Elmarin/Corvus which also acts as blackout prevention. The batteries absorb regenerated electricity from trawl winches and re-distribute this on board as needed.
Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic and the long delivery trip to Australia, it was decided not to carry out an open ship or christening ceremony in Norway
Austral Fisheries acknowledges the immense effort from everyone involved in bringing the Cape Arkona to life over the last three years. It has been an incredibly complex and important project which will help to pave the way for Austral’s future in the industry.
