VESSEL REVIEW | Pathway – Scotland's Lunar Fishing welcomes new purse seiner/trawler to fleet

Peterhead, Scotland-based Lunar Fishing has taken delivery of a new combination purse seiner/pelagic trawler from Danish shipbuilder Karstensens Skibsværft.

Pathway was handed over on October 15 and named on October 24. Karstensens designed the vessel. Its hull was built by Karstensens Shipyard Poland in Gdansk, and the remaining construction and outfitting were completed in Skagen.

The DNV-classed vessel replaces a Karstensens-built Pathway delivered in 2017. Like her predecessor, the new Pathway will combine pelagic trawling with purse seining, targeting mackerel, herring and blue whiting.

The yard said design priorities included crew conditions, safety and comfort, alongside catch handling and storage and fuel consumption.

The new Pathway has an LOA of 83.7 metres (275 feet), a length between perpendiculars of 77.7 metres (255 feet), a moulded beam of 17.5 metres (57.4 feet), a depth of 11.65 metres (38.22 feet), and a gross tonnage of 4,392.

The steel hull comprises three continuous decks and a long forecastle. It combines round-bilge construction, a bulbous bow, a moderately wave-piercing bow, a stern skeg, and a transom stern. Roll-damping tanks are fitted abaft the forecastle. The wheelhouse, boat decks and masts are aluminium.

Versatile propulsion arrangement

A main engine that produces 7,800 kW (10,000 hp) at 750 rpm drives a 4,500mm ducted propeller through a two-speed gearbox. A PTO on the gearbox carries a 3,500kW Marelli shaft alternator. Two Caterpillar C32 generators of 940 kWe each and a 300kWe Caterpillar C9.3 harbour set provide additional power.

Trials averaged 18.9 knots with diesel-mechanical propulsion on the first gearbox step, and 11.7 knots with diesel-electric propulsion.

During shooting and hauling, the shaft alternator supplies the hydraulic fishing machinery. The main engine then serves both propulsion and the winches, since peak winch demand normally coincides with low propulsion load.

In routine towing, the electrical load can instead be supplied by either of the two auxiliary sets while the shaft alternator is offline.

The bus-bar breaker in the ScanTechnic main switchboard enables the shaft alternator to supply the aft thruster, while the generators serve the forward thruster and hotel load.

A DEIF Delomatic 4 power management system is also fitted.

A clutch connecting the gearbox to the main engine allows the shaft alternator to provide take-me-home propulsion.

The electrical system runs at a sliding frequency between 60 Hz and 50 Hz, which the yard said permits a 17 per cent reduction in engine and propeller rpm. Manoeuvring is assisted by two 1,400kW Brunvoll FU-74 thrusters and a Neuver high-lift flap rudder.

Comprehensive array of fishing and catch handling equipment

The purse handling equipment is arranged forward and the trawl deck aft. Karmøy Winch supplied the hydraulic deck machinery and the autotrawl system.

The main items are two 90-tonne trawl winches, two 110-tonne net drums in a centreline waterfall arrangement, a 71-tonne topline winch, a 57-tonne tail-end winch, and two 40-tonne purse seine winches.

Purse handling also uses a 40-tonne Tristar Giant net hauler, a seven-tonne net crane, and Storm Cranes float and ground stackers.

The transom has a hydraulic stern gate and hydraulically operated guiding pins.

Catch is held in 14 insulated RSW tanks with a total capacity of 3,100 cubic metres (680,000 gallons) compared to 2,500 cubic metres (550,000 gallons) on the earlier Pathway.

Three PTG FrioNordica plants of 1,300kW each serve the tanks, with remotely operated valves on Eltorque actuators.

Two SeaQuest Systems fish pumps and an aluminium water separator are used for loading.

An Önnereds Svets vacuum system with four 86kW compressors and two 4,200-litre (920-gallon) tanks handles unloading. Fuel capacity is 595 cubic metres (131,000 gallons).

Ample amenities boasting improved comfort

The accommodation comprises four engineers' cabins, eight one- or two-person crew cabins and four officer cabins, all with en suite facilities, plus a galley, a hospital and lounges.

The yard placed the accommodation as far from the propeller as possible to reduce noise. Woodsons of Aberdeen supplied the electronics, displayed on eight 55-inch and twenty-four 32-inch Hatteland monitors.