The fourth in a series of 86 metre by 17 metre breadth factory trawlers being built for Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet has been floated off in a ceremony at the Vyborg Shipyard, while the second in the series has been delivered and has been moored in St Petersburg for the last few days – and will formally join the Russian feet today.
A ceremony on board the second vessel in the series will take place today on board Norwegian Sea, with the Russian Federation’s flag formally raised for the first time in an event to be attended by Federal Fisheries Agency director Ilya Shestakov.
Kara Sea was launched at the yard last week, while skipper Igor Aledandrovich Trunin has been welcoming visitors on board Norwegian Sea alongside at the English Embankment in St Petersburg for the last few days.
The first in the series, Barents Sea, has been fishing successfully since pre-operational trials were concluded earlier this year, and number three, White Sea, is in the process of fitting out at the Vyborg Shipyard.
‘Two ships have already been built, and two ships will be built, there is no doubt about that,’ said Sergey Nesvetov, executive director of ATF’s parent company North-West Fisheries Consortium, at the launch ceremony for Kara Sea.
The trawlers are being built under the Russian government’s investment quotas initiative. These 6000kW trawlers have capacity to produce around 100 tonnes per day of finished frozen products, as well as having canning lines for liver and roes, and a fishmeal and fish oil production capacity of around 60 tonnes per day.
Accommodation is for a crew of up to 49 in single and double cabins, plus there are gym and sauna facilities on board.
‘Four years ago we laid the keel of the first factory trawler for Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet,’ said Vyborg Shipyard’s general director Alexander Solovyov.
‘The construction period has not been an easy one, with difficult conditions and technical challenges that the Vyborg Shipyard has faced. Nevertheless, today we are launching the fourth vessel of this series. We are successfully solving all the challenges facing our yard and are demonstrating to our customer what Vyborg quality is.’
