VESSEL REVIEW | Sunderøy – Prestfjord’s newest vessel takes on extreme fishing conditions off northern Norway

Spanish shipbuilder Gondan has delivered a new factory stern trawler to Norwegian fishing and aquaculture company Prestfjord.

Classed by DNV and designed by Kongsberg Maritime, Sunderøy boasts a steel hull, an aluminium superstructure, a length of 77.3 metres, and a beam of 17 metres. Like other vessels in the Prestfjord fleet, it is ice-certified and able to operate off northern Norway, particularly in the harsh fishing environments typical in Arctic areas, the Barents Sea, and just off the Svalbard archipelago.

The trawler will be used to fish for cod and prawns and is well-equipped for processing and storing of catch. Much of the factory equipment is fully automated and the total freezer hold capacity is 2,250 cubic metres. This will allow the vessel to rake in a significant catch volume at any given time, which then translates into fewer trips to be made just to satisfy quotas.

Sunderøy utilises a vessel design that was originally developed by Kongsberg with accommodations for a crew of 29 and triple trawl and pelagic trawl capabilities ideal for catching white fish and shrimp in Arctic waters. Since this is Kongsberg’s fourth collaboration with Prestfjord, the design process and the subsequent construction work resulted in a vessel that satisfied the customer’s unique requirements with regards to efficiency. Monrad Hide, Kongsberg’s Sales Director in Ship Design, claimed that working on Sunderøy was easier especially when compared to some of the company’s recent design projects for fishing vessel owners in Greenland where higher ice classes are the norm.

Sunderøy is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric system that also includes a Kongsberg hybrid shaft generator (HSG), making it the first vessel in the Prestfjord fleet to be equipped with batteries for propulsion. The other half of the propulsion setup is a Rolls-Royce Bergen B33:45V12 main engine that produces 7,200 kW at 750 rpm. Supplementing this configuration is a propeller/rudder arrangement from Promas connected to the main engine via a Kongsberg 950 GHC-SC-600 gearbox. A Kongsberg TT1300 side thruster has also been fitted.

The installation of a Kongsberg HSG enables the main engine and propulsion systems to operate at variable speeds – including at optimal engine speed and propeller pitch – without affecting the availability of electrical power on the vessel. This then results in more fuel-efficient sailings, lower vibrations, and a longer propeller life.

Power for the onboard systems including the fishing and fish processing equipment is drawn from a Bergen C25:33L6A generator. An energy management system also supplied by Kongsberg provides the crew with real-time data on the vessel’s energy consumption, allowing adjustments to be made as necessary to help maximise engine and battery life. Since Kongsberg also supplied much of the vessel’s key systems including deck machinery, bridge electronics, the electrical system, and automation, compatibility with the energy management system is guaranteed, thus ensuring accurate consumption readings at all times.

The Kongsberg deck machinery package consists of four 52-tonne trawl winches, net drum winches, tail winches, and hauling winches. The anchor winches and capstans were also supplied by Kongsberg. Other pieces of deck machinery include MacGregor cranes and Dimo hydraulics.

The processing equipment includes an Optimar fish factory, a Stord Process fishmeal processor, in-line coolers from Hydroniq, and an MMC First Process cooling system. Eltorque valves are used throughout the factory deck.

Navigation and communication equipment were provided by HG Marine Electronics while Pro Electronica Sur was responsible for all electrical installation work.

Accommodation spaces include 26 crew cabins and a conference/lounge area with interior decors supplied by Lido Marine.

A Teknotherm Marine HVAC system ensures all of Sunderøy‘s interior spaces are kept as comfortable as possible even as the vessel is subjected to harsh sea and weather conditions in its areas of operations.

The vessel is also equipped with a Palfinger marine safety system consisting of an MOB boat and davits.

For more news, features and vessel reviews as part of this month’s Fishing and Aquaculture Week, please click here.