Danish naval design and marine consultancy Knud E Hansen has developed a 50-metre factory trawler design with a focus on operating efficiency and maximised catch-processing facilities.
The vessel is designed to deliver good fuel economy, reduced environmental impact, and the flexibility to be operated as a single or pair trawler. With an emphasis on safety, working and living conditions, together with the desire to allow maximum space for processing catch on board, Knud E Hansen settled an optimal length of 50 metres, with a beam of 11.25 metres and a draught of 4.5 metres.
The trawler is designed with two continuous decks for a fluid workflow plus one partly open boat deck and a forecastle deck. The superstructure is three decks high and is positioned forward of amidships. The fish hold and engine room together with bunker tanks are placed below the first deck.
The entire first deck, apart from the engine casings aft, is dedicated to fish-processing and quick freezing, with some 300 square metres of customisable space. The second deck is the trawl deck and has double trawl lanes running the entire ship length with casings at each side forward containing accommodation and trawl-shops. On the boat deck behind the superstructure is ample space for winches, cranes and lifesaving equipment.
The hull is designed with a bow shape optimised for efficient operation in all sea states and at all draughts while trawling. The propulsion system has been designed with a focus on energy efficiency, consisting of two low-speed large-diameter propellers in nozzles optimised for trawling speed.
The ship is constructed to meet DNV SILANT-F requirements – as low noise radiation into the sea generally results in better catches, it thereby lowers fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission per unit catch. If intended for pair trawling only, a lower installed power and a reduction in the number of winches and trawling equipment will be possible.