Síldarvinnslan’s factory trawler Blængur has returned to its home port of Neskaupstaður after an extensive refit carried out in Poland.
Blængur was brought home from Poland by skipper Theodór Haraldsson and chief mate Geir Stefánsson, who agreed that the refit has been highly successful.
One of the Icelandic fleet’s veterans. Blængur was built at Pasajes in Spain in 1973 as one of a series that were among the first stern trawlers to join the Icelandic fleet. Originally Ingólfur Arnarson RE-201, it was acquired by Ögurvík in 1985, renamed Freri RE-73 and converted to a factory freezer trawler. In 2000 it was extensively refitted, lengthened by ten metres to its present 78.90 metres and fitted with a 3680kW Wärtsilä main engine.
After having been laid up for some time, the trawler was bought by Síldarvinnslan, renamed Blængur NK-125 and put back to sea pending a refit.
Blængur sailed to Gdansk earlier this year and has been extensively refitted yet again. During the stopover in Poland the ship has been blasted and painted from top to bottom, the wheelhouse has been completely refitted and the accommodation has also been renewed, with the addition of a gym and hot tub.
A side thruster has been added and the fish handling deck has been stripped out. The next step is for Blængur to steam to Akureyri where new fish handling systems are to be installed.
´This is a magnificent ship in every way,’ skipper Theodór Haraldsson said. ‘We checked the speed on the way home and it’s up to 16.70 knots. It’s going to be a pleasure fishing on this ship.’
