When the new trawler docked in Akureyri a few days ago after a 4000-nautical mile, 15-day delivery trip from the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey, it was Icelandic fishing company Samherji’s first newbuilt vessel to join its fleet for seventeen years.
The last one was multi-purpose pelagic vessel Vilhelm Thorsteinsson, delivered in 2000, but now Samherji is renewing its demersal fresher trawler fleet with three of four new trawlers being built at the Cemre yard in Turkey, with the fourth going to FISK Seafood in Sauðárkrókur
The new Kaldbakur measures 62 metres overall with a 13.50 metre beam, and replaces a 43-year-old Spanish-built trawler of the same name that has since been renamed Sólbakur.
The new ship is skippered alternately by Sigtryggur Gíslason and Angantýr Arnar Árnason, with Hreinn Skúli Erhardsson sailing as chief engineer, all of whom switched to the new ship from the old Kaldbakur.
‘Kaldbakur is in every way a well-equipped ship,’ said Samherji’s fleet director Kristján Vilhelmsson.
‘The major gains with the design of this new ship lie in how economic the new hull design is, as this improves seakeeping and energy consumption. This design of bow allows waves the slip over it instead of breaking, while there is also a very good flow of water to a relatively large propeller. All of this contributes to energy efficiency.’
Two of the new trawlers, Kaldbakur and Björg, will operate from Akureyri and Björgúlfur from Dalvík, with all of the rest of the series expected to be delivered this year.
The trawlers are designed by Bárður Hafsteinsson of Reykjavík naval architect Skipatækni, with input from Samherji’s technical staff.
The emphasis has been placed on efficiency, and the trawlers are designed to recirculate excess energy to heat the accommodation areas. There are shore connections for both electricity and a geothermal hot water supply.
Kaldbakur was delivered from Turkey with an empty catch handling deck, as the equipment for sorting, gutting and handling catches is being installed by local contractors. The catch handling deck is designed for ergonomic working, with streamed flows of fish through the deck and tubs filled at deck level to be taken to the fishroom in an elevator, where a forklift on overhead runners stacks the tubs.
Kaldbakur is expected to be ready for its first trip in early June.
