VESSEL REVIEW | Ronja Princess – Locally-built high-capacity wellboat for Norway’s Sølvtrans

Norwegian shipyard Aas Mekaniske Verksted (Aas Mek) has delivered a new wellboat to local fish transport company Sølvtrans.

Ronja Princess is the thirty-first overall wellboat to be delivered to Sølvtrans and the first vessel in a new series of seven that will be built for and delivered to the same owner through to the end of 2025. All seven wellboats in the series will be used primarily for the live transport of salmon and trout.

The wellboat has an LOA of 76.96 metres, a beam of 17.8 metres, a depth of 5.9 metres, and two tanks with a total live transport capacity of 3,000 cubic metres or 450 tonnes.

Aas Mek said the vessel’s design incorporates a low draught in relation to load capacity, which is specially adapted for transport of smolt with calls of smolt facilities and areas that may be difficult for larger vessels to access. The onboard equipment is optimised for transporting fish in an open and closed system in a safe and gentle manner using a pressure loading and unloading system that eliminates the need for vacuum pumps.

The vessel is also fitted with systems for ensuring reduced emissions during closed transport with monitoring, purification, and treatment of all water circulation, a filtration system for collecting lice, a system for UV treatment of water in and out of the cargo holds, automated washing and disinfection facilities, systems for monitoring, regulation and logging of water parameters, and a system for the freshwater treatment of the transported fish. Vik Elektro supplied some of the monitoring systems in addition to performing all electrical installation works.

Shelter decks that make it far safer for the crew to work on the deck even during days of inclement weather. These areas of the vessel also ensure that more space can be allotted for the special equipment below deck.

Four cranes from Palfinger Marine are fitted on the deck for handling hoses and cages. For counting and control of biomass during loading and unloading, Aqua Scan and Vaki fish counters are installed.

An array of lights and underwater cameras will enable the crew to monitor the fish in the hold during loading and transport. Additional cameras are mounted on the exterior of the lower hull to allow for monitoring of the loading hoses and nets.

Supplying the propulsion is a Yanmar 6EY26W main engine with a rated output of 1,920 kW at 750 rpm. This is connected to a Brunvoll Volda gear and propeller system. Brunvoll also provided three side thrusters, one 600kW unit forward and two 250kW units aft. The main engine delivers a service speed of 13 knots and is controlled centrally from four operator positions in the wheelhouse.

The onboard systems meanwhile draw power from two Caterpillar 3512C 1,550ekW generators. A Scania DI13 349ekW generator will be used instead when the vessel is at berth.

As well as propulsion, the fish welfare and hygiene operations are also managed from the wheelhouse. Welfare and hygiene operations include tasks such as monitoring, UV water treatment, and lice removal.

The crew of 12 are housed in separate cabins, each with en suite toilets and showers. Also on board is a galley, a coffee bar by the working area, a TV lounge, and an exercise room.