AWARDS 2025 | Best Multi-Purpose Fishing Boat – Kaitiaki – Southerly Designs, Tideline Boats & Toura Boat Craft

This versatile, 13-metre (43-foot) aluminium fishing vessel offers exceptional flexibility to switch between trap fishing for prawns in spring, longline and line fishing for Albacore tuna in summer, crab, salmon, and even commercial diving operations—making it ideal for both protected coastal waters and offshore conditions in varying weather.

High-performance propulsion and manoeuvrability make for highly effective operation, and despite its compact size, she packs in environmental features, a large internal volume for live product, great visibility from the raised wheelhouse, and easy method switching.

Kaitiaki represents a modern, refined blend of productivity and comfort for British Columbia's diverse fisheries.

“Although we have designed a number of crewboats for the offshore oil industry that operate in North American waters, particularly the Gulf of Mexico, this was the first fishing vessel we designed for a fishing operator outside of Australia and New Zealand, the first vessel to be built in Canada, and the first vessel to be operated in Canada,” Andrew Taylor, Managing Director of Southerly Designs, told Baird Maritime.

“For a relatively small length of 13.5 metres, she has high horsepower and a significant amount of catch capacity and accommodation compared to a typical Australian vessel of similar size, along with catch handling and storage arrangements intended to provide flexibility across multiple fisheries.”

“What makes Kaitiaki unique are the adaptations from a traditional rock lobster fishing vessel used in the Southern Hemisphere to better fit the needs of a boat to be effective in various fishing seasons including spot prawns, trap fishing and albacore tuna,” added Tideline Boats, which built the vessel. “Upgrades to the design for crew comfort with a finer finished interior than most commercial fishing vessels further improve the boat for longer, offshore fishing trips in addition to making her usable for recreational and family outings.”

Toura Boat Craft (TBC), which provided project management support during the vessel’s construction, remarked that she was designed from the outset as a true working vessel. Every major decision was driven by how the boat would actually be used in a demanding, “derby-style” fishery while also remaining capable of multi-species work such as offshore tuna trolling and recreational use during downtime.

“The hull form, deck layout, machinery, and onboard systems were selected to balance efficiency, reliability, crew safety and comfort, and long term operating cost,” said TBC. “She is a modern aluminium vessel without unnecessary complexity, with a clear focus on robustness, serviceability, and real world performance.”

TBC added that what sets Kaitiaki apart is the owner- and operator-driven approach. This was not a builder-driven project, and it was instead shaped by direct experience on the water and lessons learned from decades of commercial fishing.

“As with most complex vessel builds, there were challenges,” remarked TBC. “Aligning design intent with build execution requires constant communication, particularly when aiming for a high level of finish and system integration in a working boat.”

TBC said one key lesson was the importance of staying closely involved throughout the build. Decisions made early can have significant downstream impacts, so alignment between designer, builder, and owner is critical.

“Another key takeaway was the importance of serviceability. In a commercial setting, systems that are reliable and easy to access and repair often prove more valuable than more advanced alternatives.”

For Tideline, the challenge lay mainly in adaptation. Specifically, the company needed to adapt a boat that was designed to be built using the stick framing method to its preferred method of using a jig.

Taylor said that as the vessel was Southerly Designs’ first build in Canada, and being of a relatively small size, significant work needed to be done in order for the project team to understand the various regulations that needed to be applied.

The need to understand regulations is essential, as Taylor noted that these are continually evolving and increasing, thus making it challenging for designers to keep pace.

“We see continual pursuit of fuel/energy efficiency via hull form selection, weight saving, or propulsion technology application, as well as continuing interest from all operators in alternative power solutions, be it electric, hybrid, alternative fuels or other innovations,’ Taylor told Baird Maritime.

Customers are also becoming increasingly risk-averse, according to Taylor, as the availability of a so-called proven design is frequently regarded as the primary consideration for purchasing despite the vessel functions becoming increasingly specialised.

“Being overly committed to a ‘proven design’ can limit both competition and innovation,” said Taylor.

Other trends identified by Taylor include vessel automation, which is, “high on the agenda for numerous operators,” and application of various forms of AI and machine learning for design-related tasks.

For Tideline, some of the issues that are currently or will pose issues in the shipbuilding industry include environmental and decarbonisation regulations, particularly the IMO 2050 strategy for a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as well as proposed carbon pricing schemes.

“Increased demand for alternative fuels and propulsion to meet these regulations add to the costs of building new fleets,” said Tideline. “There are also geopolitical tensions such as tariffs on building materials and boat components, as well as an increase in the requirement of digital and technical skills amid a shrinking labour force with less of the younger generation interested in trades.”

“Regulatory complexity continues to increase, particularly around emissions, safety, and environmental compliance,” TBC commented. “While these objectives are important, the pace and layering of regulation add cost and uncertainty to newbuilds.”

TBC also observed that supply chains have largely stabilised post Covid, but tariffs between China, the United States, and Canada have made procurement more complex. At the same time, the overall cost of doing business has risen, with higher labour costs adding further pressure on project budgets.

“There is also growing pressure to demonstrate sustainability and efficiency, influencing hull design, propulsion choices, and onboard systems. The challenge is in meeting these expectations without compromising durability or pushing costs beyond what commercial operators can realistically absorb.”

Even with such challenges, TBC has regarded 2025 as “a demanding but productive year”. Despite working in a more cautious economic environment amid rising costs and uncertainty, the company pointed out that there is still strong interest in well-designed, efficient workboats.

“Operators are being more selective, but when they do invest, they want vessels that are proven, practical, and built for longevity,” TBC told Baird Maritime. “We remain cautiously optimistic, as the fundamentals of commercial fishing and marine transport are strong. The key will be adapting to change while maintaining economically sustainable operations.”

Tideline also noted the economic uncertainty necessitating greater caution, yet the company believes that its differentiating itself by targeting clients looking for more robust, durable and versatile vessels has started to help drive business and opportunity.

“With our focus on building quality vessels, and providing a high level of customer service we are confident that this competitive advantage will continue to lead to our operational success.”

Taylor remarked that the year 2025 saw a variety of shipyards complete and deliver 18 vessels from Southerly Designs’ portfolio, while another 12 newbuilding projects were commenced. The company has also been continuing efforts in relation to sales prospects and tender submissions, as well as additional work through refit, upgrades and stability analysis to name a few.

“Shipbuilding has always been cyclical,” said Taylor. “We are dealing with long-term assets, the utilisation and profitability of which can fluctuate markedly due to broader economic trends. Southerly Designs always aim to spread work over a number of different sectors and markets to help smooth out these cycles. We have expanded and increased our reach over the last few years, and while we are currently seeing a contraction in some sectors, others are continuing to perform well.”

Taylor commented that the large number of vessels in design and construction at any given time along with a variety of smaller projects certainly keeps the company busy, and that there is, “never a dull moment managing this workload across a small team.”

Even as Southerly Designs continues to expand its orderbook, it continues its observations of developments in key markets particularly in the commercial fishing industry, as Taylor himself explained.

“Fisheries in advanced nations are increasingly regulated. Overall the number of fishing boats operating tends to decrease while the newbuilds become fewer but are often larger, and certainly more sophisticated. I do expect to see this trend continuing, along with the continued consolidation of fisheries and fewer vessels operating.”

Tideline meanwhile believes sustainability and regulation will drive change in the industry as global governance continues to reduce overfishing through various treaties and fishing subsidies.

“Digital tech and automation for remote monitoring, AI machine learning, and smart sensors that help detect fish can reduce fuel consumption and further improve the efficiency of commercial fishing operations.”

TBC expects that the industry will likely continue to consolidate, with fewer but more professional operators.

“Efficiency, data-driven decision making, and cost control will become increasingly important,” TBC told Baird Maritime. “Vessels will be expected to do more with less fuel, reduced crew strain, and lower maintenance demands. This will continue to drive efficient hulls, smarter deck layouts, and improved ergonomics.

The company added that access to fishing grounds and regulatory certainty will remain the defining issues. Although technology will still be useful, long-term viability will depend on management decisions being driven by evidence and outcomes rather than ideology.

As for the future of the North American workboat industry, TBC said that industry is moving towards more purpose-built designs rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Operators are also increasingly involved in the design process, leading to better outcomes and more effective vessels.

“Aluminum construction continues to grow due to its durability, weight savings, and lifecycle advantages,” said TBC. “There is also a stronger focus on crew comfort and safety, reflecting the challenge of attracting and retaining skilled crew.

“Looking ahead, the most successful projects will combine modern design tools with practical operational knowledge. Vessels that are efficient, straightforward to maintain, and adaptable will be best positioned for the future.”

Tideline meanwhile expects that the same regional industry will be characterised by clean technology transitions (i.e., propulsion and power systems); digital and data technologies for efficiency; automation and remote assistance; and market demand being driven by the offshore energy, infrastructure, and coastal services sectors.

“Operators and builders who embrace sustainability, digitalisation and smarter operational tools will be best positioned as the industry modernises,” Tideline remarked.

Taylor said he is “hopeful” that, as is the case with North America highlighted earlier, the numbers of purpose-built workboats will gradually increase in Australia. He acknowledged, however, that large portions of the local market, particularly in Western Australia’s own fishing industry, have relied extensively on re-purposed vessels from the homegrown rock lobster fishery.

“Meanwhile, there remains a pipeline of work ongoing for mainly smaller vessels and RIBs across marine rescue and various government agencies,” Taylor remarked. “All sectors seem set to see increasing levels of automation being implemented on board vessels, along with the continuing quests for reduced energy consumption and lowered carbon footprint. These trends will continue to evolve rapidly over the foreseeable future.”

For a list of the 2025 "Best Of" award winners, please click here.