VESSEL REVIEW | Dionadair a' Bhradain – Catamaran workboat for Bakkafrost Scotland's fish welfare operations

Salmon farmer Bakkafrost Scotland has added a new catamaran workboat to its fleet to help with fish health and welfare work at its farms on Scotland’s west coast and islands.

Dìonadair a’ Bhradain was built by Macduff Shipyards in Aberdeenshire at a reported cost of £3 million (US$4 million).

The vessel is a support craft whose main role is to work alongside the wellboats that carry out treatments at Bakkafrost’s Scotland sites. Its other tasks include lifting work, treatment preparation, and general farm site duties.

Dìonadair a’ Bhradain has a length of 18.5 metres (60.7 feet) and a beam of 9.6 metres (31 feet). Bakkafrost Scotland said it chose a catamaran hull design to provide farm teams with a steady base in exposed conditions on the west coast.

Layout combining stability, manoeuvrability and significant deck capacity

The beam-to-length ratio is noticeably high for a vessel of this size. This allows a broad working deck within a hull short enough to permit ease of manoeuvring among pens, moorings, and wellboats at farm sites.

The aft deck is fitted with two HS.Marine knuckle boom cranes as well as winches for lifting and handling work. The deck can accommodate assorted payloads totalling 70 tonnes.

She also has crew accommodation, which allows marine teams to remain aboard while operating across the company’s dispersed sites.

Second example in a proven series

Dìonadair a’ Bhradain joins Bakkafrost Scotlands fleet of 87 vessels. The newbuild’s earlier sister is Bradan an Eòlais, which joined the Bakkafrost Scotland fleet in 2025. Both vessels were designed by Macduff Ship Design.

Ian Laister, Managing Director of Bakkafrost Scotland, described the vessel as having been, “built around the realities of working at sea,” while John Watt, Managing Director of Macduff Shipyards, said she is, “tailored to the practical demands of aquaculture.”