Purse seiner Solomon Diamond becomes the sixth vessel in Tri Marine’s Solomon Islands-flagged tuna fleet. Launched by its Taiwanese builder, the new vessel is expected to be fishing by the end of this year.
The planning for Solomon Diamond began in 2020, followed by the initial stages of construction in 2022.
‘Solomon Diamond is a beacon of innovation and sustainability, charting a new course for the future of tuna fishing in the Solomons and marking a significant milestone for Bolton Food and Tri Marine,’ said Guy Noordink, Bolton Board Member, during the launch ceremony in Kaohsiung.
Solomon Diamond is designed by Cintranaval-Defcar and built at Fu Long Marine, and the Maritime Research Institute of the Netherlands (MARIN), has been involved by optimising the design for efficiency and minimal environmental impact.
According to Tri Marine, the continued support of the Solomon Islands government, particularly the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, has been instrumental in this endeavour.
The new vessel is being outfitted with an automated fish loading system designed to reduce loading time by 30% and unloading time by 65%, bringing discharging time down to just one day. Living quarters meet high international standards, providing comfort and safety for the 22 crew members on board.
Solomon Diamond will add to Tri Marine’s Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified tuna supply, supporting its fishing and processing operations in the Solomon Islands. Catches will be processed at SolTuna, one of Bolton Food & Tri Marine’s processing plants.
