As the Belgian beam trawl fleet begins a process of renewal, the Luyt shipyard at Den Oever has received orders for winches for four new vessels.
Three new beamers have been ordered by Belgian operators from Padmos, who are acting as the main contractors for the construction of the new 37.95 metre LOA, 8.50 metre breadth beam trawlers that are expected to be in service in mid-2021.
These new design beamers are Z-39 owned by Karel Ackx of BVBA Vita Nova, Z-483 owned by Dany Vlietinck of Rederij Nathalie and Geert De Groote’s Z-98, owned by BVBA Rederij Aris.
All three will have ten-drum Luyt winches built to the yard’s own design.
The yard in Den Oever had already received an order for a winch for the new Z-19, a 34.50 metre, 8 metre breadth stern trawler being built by Bema in Oostende for Peter Thysebaerdt.
‘At Luyt we are all very proud that these beautifully designed Belgian trawlers will be equipped with Luyt fishing winches. This order means a lot of work for our own machining shop and our winch department,’ said Jacoline Luijt.
‘It strengthens the profile of the company as a specialist supplier to the Flemish fishing sector, where a renewal of the fleet is currently taking place and where even more new construction projects are expected this year. There is a real possibility that we will have to deliver a 10-drum winch for another Belgian newbuild. We are still in the race for that.’
What are currently the newest vessels in the Belgian fleet were delivered around 2000. The Belgian government is encouraging fleet renewal to take place with subsidies to provide better safety on board and for more energy-efficient fishing.
