VESSEL REVIEW | Ronja Follafoss – Hybrid-powered salmon wellboat boasts delousing capability

Sefine Shipyard in Turkey has handed over a new wellboat to Norwegian operator Sølvtrans.

The DNV-classed Ronja Follafoss will be operated alongside other wellboats in the Sølvtrans fleet, which specialises in the transport of live salmon and trout.

As with many other vessels owned by the company, design work was undertaken by Kongsberg Maritime.

The new wellboat has an LOA of 92.5 metres (303 feet), a beam of 20 metres (70 feet), a draught of 7.3 metres (24 feet), a depth of 8.6 metres (28 feet), a deadweight of 7,058, a gross tonnage of 5,865, and a cargo capacity of 5,000 cubic metres (180,000 cubic feet).

Power is provided by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion arrangement to enable her to be operated by customers that wish to minimise their environmental footprint.

Bridging a capability gap

Ronja Follafoss’ dimensions and capacity place her in a category between large wellboats that can operate in offshore waters and mid-sized vessels more optimised for shallower coastal zones.

This was done in response to growing demand for vessels that can transport greater volumes between farms and onshore processing facilities while retaining onboard treatment capability to preserve fish health up until offloading.

Adaptable to other transport roles

Harald Nesvik, Sølvtrans Communications Director, said that the vessel can be fitted with other equipment depending on customer requirements to allow her to serve a broader range of sectors within the industry, though she is primarily outfitted for the transport of live fish.

The key equipment includes six delousing units from Skamik. These have a rated capacity of 300 tons per hour and can accommodate delousing using either freshwater or drug treatments in conjunction with flushing.

Although Ronja Follafoss has already been handed over to her new owner, additional equipment will be fitted before she can begin serving long-term contracts.