Damen Maaskant has developed a new design intended to support operators in tropical shrimp fisheries in staying profitable.
The Damen Shrimp Trawler 2607 is a brand-new design, developed as a simple basic standard vessel, to fish (sub)tropical shrimp, and to be a safe and robust vessel with straightforward maintenance and serviceability – and with the focus on low fuel consumption.
Shrimps are caught by trawlers in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world to supply a strong global market that continues to grow – although fuel consumption has become key operational impediment in shrimp fisheries as fuel prices have risen in recent years.
Damen researched the market and technology – and looked for future-proof solutions for shrimp fishermen.
‘The characteristics of the newly designed Damen Maaskant Shrimper 2607 are in line with the existing vessels,’ said Eric Moerkerk, managing director at Damen Maaskant.
‘The biggest change is the propulsion system itself. We have optimised the propulsion train, more specific, the propeller, nozzle, skeg and rudder. Resulting in low fuel consumption.’
Damen Maaskant specialises in designing high-pull vessels with limited propulsion power – and consequently lower fuel consumption – such as the yard’s most recent deliveries of beam trawlers for the Belgian fleet. This has resulted in an aft ship with oversized propeller diameter, and a high-catch nozzle is applied together with a streamlined balance rudder and streamlined skeg.
A key variation from the classic shrimper design is positioning the engine room aft of the fishroom, which shortens the propulsion line without the shaft having to pass underneath the fish hold.
The fishroom itself is located now under the deckhouse, which positively affects the vessel’s trim under a variety of loading conditions. Instead of the conventional layout of placing the freezers on the aft side of the working deck, processing and freezing of the shrimps is now on the aft side of the deckhouse, directly above the entrance of the fish hold, provding a better work flow.
The Shrimp Trawler 2607 is delivered with a Builders Certificate. The strength and plate thicknesses of the hull and superstructure meet the rule requirements of Bureau Veritas. The CAPEX of the vessel is kept as low as possible. The basic vessel can be upgraded to a certain extend with optional extras.
