AWARDS 2025 | Best Medium Trawler/Seiner – Tronderbas – Westcon Yards
This modern combination purse seiner and pelagic trawler was delivered to a local owner by Westcon Yards in Norway.
Strengthened for harsh North Atlantic conditions, she features an advanced hybrid propulsion system, centred around a 7,020kW main engine supported by a 1,243kWh battery pack. This setup enables peak shaving, reduced generator use, and a special “green unloading” mode where the vessel can operate entirely on battery and shore power, cutting fuel consumption by up to 20per cent.
The flexible deck layout allows rapid switching between purse seining and pelagic trawling operations. Trønderbas replaces an older vessel of the same name and will primarily target herring, mackerel, haddock, and blue whiting in the North Atlantic.
"In addition to being fitted out with the latest technology for navigation and fish finding as well as fish handling, Trønderbas boasts a modern hybrid system with a large battery pack combined with electric winches regenerating power back into the battery," Westcon Yards told Baird Maritime.
"The ship can operate on diesel, diesel electric, or on batteries only. This combination allows for fuel economic operations in every mode."
She boasts a modern hybrid system with a large battery pack combined with electric winches regenerating power.
The builder remarked that prototype vessels are always challenging to build and demand strong cooperation between the designer, the owner, and the yard.
Nonetheless, the completed vessel possessed the durability necessary to withstand extreme conditions in the North Atlantic as well as a deck machinery layout that can be easily reconfigured depending on the type of fishing method to be employed.
Trønderbas was one of two fishing vessels delivered by Westcon Yards in 2025, the other being a large trawler for another Norwegian owner. Endre Matre, Head of Shipbuilding at Westcon, confirmed that another two vessels are in the company's orderbook.
Although Matre acknowledged that shipbuilding has been impacted by commercial and political events worldwide, he remarked that there is progress in terms of technological developments. In Matre's view, this would result in orders for new vessels that possess the latest technology.
For a list of the 2025 "Best Of" award winners, please click here.