The latest delivery by Macduff Shipyards has started fishing and landed its first catch in Peterhead. Orion BF-432 has been built for Brian Harvey and his sons Andrew and Simon, replacing another Macduff build delivered almost twenty years ago.
Orion is built to fish Scottish waters, mainly in the North Sea. The original plan was to go for the yard’s 24.50 metre hull design, but in the early stages the decision was taken to remodel the bow section, based on preliminary results from a testing programme being run by Macduff Ship Design for another project.
A quick study using CFD technology was carried out at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton, comparing the original and proposed versions, and the test showed a net decrease in hull resistance at steaming speeds. As a result, Macduff Ship Design produced construction plans for the refined version and the hull construction was completed by the Kedat Shipyard in Szczecin and brought to Macduff for outfitting.
The steel-hulled Orion has an aluminium wheelhouse and mast, and is laid out on largely conventional lines with the cabins, engine room, fishroom and fresh water tank below deck level, the forward winch room, galley/mess, catch handling area and after shelter above deck.
The yard also delivered the complete hydraulic package for Orion, including a triple-barrel winch powered by dual motors located forward and two split net drums aft, plus two bagging winches, two small gear handling winches, a cod end winch and a dedicated anchor windlass. The MFB8 landing crane and MBK13 powerblock crane, both featuring a slew ring base, are supplied by Thistle Marine.
Orion is fishing with trawl gear supplied by Faithlie Trawl (International) Ltd, Seaforth Trawls Ltd and Caley Fisheries, with the trawl gear spread using a 72-inch pair of Thyborøn Type 11 trawl doors.
Primary hydraulic power is provided by a single Parker hydraulic pump driven from a dedicated 218kW Mitsubishi 6D24 auxiliary engine, with an option for secondary hydraulic power provided via a combination of one electric/hydraulic motor set with an output of 22kW in tandem with a Parker hydraulic pump driven from a power take-off fitted to the gearbox. A 180hp bow thruster is powered from the hydraulic system which has been designed by the yard and is cooled via a Blokland box cooler and Bowman heat exchanger.
The main engine is a Caterpillar C32 driving a 2500mm fixed pitch Wärtsilä propeller via a Masson Marine W7400 reversible gearbox with 9.077:1 reduction.
Orion is the seventh Macduff vessel in recent years to feature this propulsion package, which has demonstrated itself to be both robust and adaptable. The wide operating speed range of the C32 main engine provides the flexibility required to achieve full power from a fixed pitch propeller for both steaming and trawling. The efficiency gains predicted during the early design phase were demonstrated during engine trials when Orion achieved 9.1 knots at only 50% engine load and 10.50 knots at 100% load. Orion also has a triple rudder system and high lift propeller nozzle provided by Wärtsilä. Cooling systems for all engines and hydraulics onboard are served by box coolers supplied by Blokland Non-Ferro.
Electrical power onboard is provided by two Mitsubishi generator sets supplied by Macduff Diesels Limited, each with a rating of 98ekW and of sufficient size to run the vessel’s power independently providing complete redundancy.
The electrical systems onboard were designed and fitted by R.D. Downie who also fabricated the vessels switchboard and control panels for all the pumps and motor starters. In addition to this R.D. Downie also provided the fire, bilge and gas alarm systems onboard along with the navigation light panel and assisted with the installation of the navigation equipment.
The yard fabricated the catch handling system and the catch handling deck has a DEGA resin floor system fitted by PBP services. Two separate compartments are formed within the fish processing area which house both a dry locker and ice plant room. The fish hold refrigeration system along with ice machine was supplied and fitted by Premier Refrigeration.
