AWARDS 2022 | Best Medium Fish Farm Support Vessel – Geraldine Mary – Macduff Ship Design
BAIRD MARITIME AWARDS
Best Medium Fish Farm Support Vessel – Geraldine Mary – Macduff Ship Design
An unusual looking but exceptionally practical aquaculture support vessel designed by naval architects Macduff Ship Design for a very successful local fish farming business.
The climatic conditions in the vessel’s area of operations can be very difficult. It will be good for the owner to know that whatever the sea throws at it, this tough little workboat will be able to handle.
“The vessel is a development of our earlier designs that aimed to create a versatile vessel with good hull efficiency,” Macduff Ship Design Managing Director Ian Ellis told Baird Maritime. “We developed this hull form and concept into a landing craft-type vessel to achieve multi-functionality as an aquaculture and cargo vessel for the local island communities in its area of operations, and so the hull and vessel characteristics have proven to be a great success with the owners Inverlussa Marine Services.”
Macduff added that the vessel also incorporates a hybrid battery system to allow for the shut-down of all diesel engines during non-operational periods, reducing emissions to zero.
“With the vessel required to be able to conduct so many different roles both within its day-to-day operation as an aquaculture support vessel and to have capability for operation outside this arena, there were significant challenges in incorporating the equipment required into the compact hull form. The aquaculture industry is seeing a significant growth in the size of the infrastructure, and to be able to handle this, a larger crane capacity was required. This means that the vessel needed to be compact for site access but also have the capability to operate cranes with high capacity.”
For 2022, Macduff saw what it called “a renewed optimism” in several areas of the market following years of uncertainty.
“This is evident in an increase in new enquiries,” Ellis told Baird Maritime. “Other areas such as the tug and offshore wind markets are holding steady, and we hope that we can also develop additional projects in these areas.”
Commenting on the future of the aquaculture industry, Macduff said it will be characterised by significant changes in fish farm infrastructure.
“Larger farms and cages, developments in cage design, and a move to more exposed and offshore sites all lead to the need for new developments in vessel design,” the company said.
For a list of the 2022 “Best Of” award winners, please click here.
