Among that last of a series of innovative trawlers built in Norway to be delivered to their Icelandic owners, Harðbakur EA-3 started fishing in May this year.
Following completion at Vard, Harðbakur was steamed to its home port of Akureyri in the north of Iceland, where the local Slippurinn yard had been contracted to design, manufacture and install the catch handling deck on board.
´The main emphasis has been placed on maximising quality and catch handling, and this was a multi-faceted project,’ said Slippurinn Akureyri’s production division manager Bergthór Ævarsson.
‘Bleeding, washing and chilling fish are key aspects of the process and the focus was on ensuring that the catch handling deck is simple and efficient.’
A simplified tub transport arrangement is part of the layout, and a lift has been fitted to minimise the drop distance from the catch handling deck down to the fishroom.
‘The design was developed in close co-operation with Samherji and we’re both satisfied with the results,’ he said.
Samherji’s fleet management director Kristján Vilhelmsson commented that the quality of raw material that Harðbakur’s catch handling deck yields is excellent.
‘The design incorporated new solutions alongside familiar systems from previous projects,’ he said.
‘It’s clear that this worked out well. We’ve had good co-operation with Slippurinn Akureyri and the after-sales service has been perfect.’
