One of Iceland’s consistently successful groundfish trawlers is changing hands, acquired by Fáskrúðsfjörður fishing company Loðnuvinnslan, which has interests in both demersal and pelagic fisheries.
Fresher trawler Thórunn Sveinsdóttir VE-401 was built in 2010 for Westman Islands skipper Sigurjón Óskarsson and his family, owners of fishing company Óss and processor Leo Seafood, both of which were acquired by Vinnslustöðin in 2023.
Thórunn Sveinsdóttir will replace Loðnuvinnslan’s veteral demersal trawler Ljósafell SU-70, one of a series of identical trawlers built for Icelandic companies in Japan in 1973-74. Ljósafell has fished for Loðnuvinnslan since arriving in Fáskrúðsfjörður from the Narasaki shipyard in Japan in 31st May 1973.
Ljósafell’s crew are all offered the opportunity to transfer to the new vessel.
According to Loðnuvinnslan managing director Garðar Svavarsson, there have been plans for some time to replace Ljósafell, although the veteran trawler has been more than capable of meeting the demands placed on it. He commented there’s no escaping the fact that Ljósafell is not getting any younger, and the opportunity to acquire Thórunn Sveinsdóttir was a sudden development.
‘Thórunn Sveinsdóttir is a more powerful fishing vessel that has proved itself. It has the capacity to tow two trawls and therefore return higher catches per towing hour. In addition, its carrying capacity is 60% greater than that of Ljósafell,’ he said.
‘There will be regrets as Ljósafell leaves, but the vessel is in good condition for its age and no expense has been spared in its maintenance over the years. The expectation is that it will be sold when Thórunn Sveinsdóttir arrives in March next year.’
Vinnslustöðin states that the operating environment has changed significantly, and this includes government plans to increase the resource levy, hence the dcision to sell this vessel. Managing director Sigurgeir B Kristgeirsson commented that the sale of Thórunn Sveinsdóttir is one of a number of measures being taken to reduce the company’s debt burden, plus plans to build a new groundfish vessel have been shclved.
The 20 crew of Thórunn Sveinsdóttir have been given notice and earlier this year the compan announced that Leo Seafood would also be shut down with all staff made redundant, although some have been taken on elsewhere by Vinnslustöðin.
Thórunn Sveinsdóttir was built by Karstensens Skibsværft in 2010 and returned to the yard in 2019 to be lengthened by 11.20 metres to its current 46.30 metres
