The first new groundfish trawler built at a Russian shipyard for more than thirty years has been handed over to its owners.
Built at the Vyborg Shipyard, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Barents Sea is an Ice Class 3, ST-118L design with an overall length of 86 metres and a 17 metre beam.
Barents Sea is the first of four KMT01 project vessels being built to the same design at the Vyborg yard, including Norwegian Sea and White Sea which are under construction, also destined for the same owners, Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet.
The handover took place following successful sea trials, and fishing and processing trials will be carried out by the owners once Barents Sea has reached its home port with access to fishing grounds.
Barents Sea and its sister vessels are expected to operate on North Atlantic and Barents Sea fishing grounds, targeting primarily cod and haddock. The factory deck is laid out with a variety of production options, including a 40 tonne per day fillet capacity, H&G production and a 100 tonne/day freezing capacity. The meal plant can produce 60 tonnes per day and the canning section can produce up to 5000 cans of roe and liver.
The fishroom has a 2500 cubic metre capacity and there is a 350 cubic metre fishmeal store.
Barents Sea is laid out for single- and twin-rig trawling, providing options for both groundfish and shrimp fisheries, as well for switching to pelagic trawling if required.
Accommodation is for a crew of up to 49 in single and twin cabins, and accommodation areas are fitted out to a high standard, including with a gym and sauna.
Barents Sea’s construction and that of its sister trawlers takes place within the investment quotas framework under which the Russian authorities provided incentives for fishing companies to invest in new tonnage, built at domestic shipyards.
