VESSEL REVIEW | Inter Alba – Trident Aqua Service's new large wellboat with RO and delousing facilities

Norwegian aquaculture support company Trident Aqua Services has commenced operations of its newest battery hybrid wellboat in Scotland.

Designed by Salt Ship Design and delivered from Sefine Shipyard in Turkey in December 2025, the wellboat Inter Alba has successfully completed her first work period, performing combined freshwater and delousing treatment.

Trident Aqua said that, with a well capacity of approximately 6,500 cubic metres (230,000 cubic feet), Inter Alba is currently the largest wellboat operating in Scotland. Three wells have been fitted to ensure better control on the total load.

Flexible hybrid propulsion arrangement

The newbuild has an LOA of 92.66 metres (304 feet), a moulded beam of 22.4 metres (73.5 feet), a draught of eight metres (26 feet), speed of 11 knots, and accommodation for up to 17 crewmembers.

She also features a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system with a 1,000kWh battery pack, which Trident Aqua said can significantly reduce fuel consumption when used in combination with a heat recovery system and other efficiency-enhancing systems.

Comprehensive treatment setup ideal for use in exposed sites

The vessel's fish handling system was delivered by MMC First Process and includes an FLS delousing system. A full fish pen with a capacity of 600 tonnes can be loaded onto the vessel in minutes, while a stripping system will remove CO₂ from the water, thereby allowing the water to be easily chilled and able to hold live fish for significantly longer periods.

She is also equipped with a freshwater production system capable of producing 15,000 cubic metres (3.3 million gallons) per day, thanks to a large-scale reverse osmosis plant supplied by Peter Taboada.

Space is also available for a fast boat to be used in MOB rescues.

Larger complement to dedicated treatment platforms

The deployment of Inter Alba to Mowi Scotland’s sites will free up smaller wellboats that are better equipped for addressing issues such as salmon rickettsial septicaemia (SRS) and amoebic gill disease (AGD), though the newbuild is designed to also treat fish to minimise the risk of lice infestations and AGD, which would otherwise lead to SRS.

Inter Alba was designed in compliance with DNV class requirements.