The Sumber Samudra Sdn. Bhd. yard at Perak in Malaysia recently delivered a 37.80 metre fisheries research and survey vessel. Built for the Bangladesh Department of Fisheries, the new vessel completed official sea trials and additional trials for the fishing gear have also been completed.
With all trials complete, the Meen Shandhani’s crews receive training as a part of the build package. After making her delivery trip to her homeport of Chittagong, Meen Shandhani is scheduled to undertake fisheries research in the Bay of Bengal. This sea is rich in fisheries resources but adequate research to establish sustainable allowable catches will be enhanced by the work carried out on board the new vessel.
Meen Shandhani, capable of fishing a wide range of trawl gear and traps, has both wet and dry labs for scientists. With a capacity for up to 28 crew and researchers the vessel will add to the growing work on sustainable fisheries that is being undertaken by the nations of Southeast and South Asia. It will also be equipped for monitoring the Bay of Bengal waters for salinity and other variables that are becoming increasingly important to track aspects of climate change.
Main engine power for the Meen Shandhani is a Cummins QSK38-M with the heavy duty rating of 1400hp at 1800rpm. Electric power for the vessel is supplied by a pair of 150kW, 50Hz main generators each powered by a Cummins QSB7-DM engine. The generators have synchronising capability. There is also a Cummins 4BTA3.9-DM-powered 30kW standby generator set.
