AWARDS 2024 | Best Large Crabber – Froyanes – Marin Teknikk
Designed by Marin Teknikk, Frøyanes is a stunning 69.9-metre steel-hulled trawler/crabber tailored for harsh Norwegian and Barents Sea conditions. Its strengths lie in versatile snow crab and shrimp trawling operations, supported by a diesel-electric propulsion system with a 5,220 kW main engine and heat recovery for superior energy efficiency.
A dedicated moonpool enables gentle crab handling, preserving catch quality, while advanced onboard facilities freeze up to 22 tonnes of shrimp and 20 tonnes of crab legs daily.
With a 17-metre beam, 3,974 gross tonnage, and capacity for 35 crew, Frøyanes excels in productivity and sustainability in icy waters.
The solution we chose for the layout works as expected, and so the vessel has had no trouble trawling and crab catching.
"Ervik Havfiske wanted a combination of shrimp trawling and crab catching capability," Thomas Edvard Gjerde, Sales Manager Fish and Aqua at Marin Teknikk, told Baird Maritime.
"The owner also wanted a vessel with a moonpool, which is a common feature on the longliners in its fleet."
Moonpools that have proven effective in longliners are also confirmed to be useful in working with crabs, particularly in ensuring their gentle handling and protection from the elements for better catch quality. This also allows female crabs to be easily sorted out and released back into the sea so they can reproduce.
The moonpool makes it possible for crabs to be hauled on board with little risk of damage to the lines and traps even as the vessel is sailing through ice. Also, since the area where the moonpool is located has a shelter, this provides a safe working area for crews.
"Arranging the vessel for both trawling and crab fishing was challenging," said Gjerde.
"Traditional trawlers have unobstructed trawl decks, but there needed to be space for a large hatch for the moonpool. The solution we chose for the layout works as expected, and so the vessel has had no trouble trawling and crab catching."
We arranged the engine setup in such a way that the vessel uses as little energy as possible.
Gjerde added that the placement of the moonpool had an impact on the layout on the vessel's factory deck, thus posing challenges related to logistics. However, this issue was also successfully resolved.
"The vessel's operational profile has different stages, from high energy demand to low load," he told Baird Maritime in explaining the vessel's propulsion configuration.
"We arranged the engine setup in such a way that the vessel uses as little energy as possible. This feature, when combined with the optimised hull lines, ensures energy efficiency."
As for the factory equipment, Gjerde said the installed facilities that are efficient and easy to clean, which are important attributes with regards to preserving the quality of the catch.
For a list of the 2024 "Best Of" award winners, please click here.