This versatile, multi-purpose fish farm support workboat recently delivered to New Zealand was designed by Australian firm Southern Ocean Solutions (SOS) and built in Vietnam.
Its highly flexible, multi-functional layout and efficient design were tailored for demanding aquaculture operations, and Whekenui supports a wide range of daily tasks including feed transport and discharge, mort recovery, mooring support, towing, power supply, personnel transport, and data collection around both inshore and offshore salmon leases.
With self-contained accommodation for five crew and strong performance in exposed offshore conditions, Whekenui is a highly capable, efficient workboat purpose-built for modern New Zealand salmon farming.
"Whekenui delivers exceptional capability within a modest 24-metre footprint," Scott Keane, Construction Manager at SOS, told Baird Maritime.
"Engineered for strength and reliability in challenging conditions, she offers excellent manoeuvrability and operational flexibility. Her design supports a diverse range of functions, including as a mobile feeding platform, mort retrieval, feed-barge support, towing operations, crane work, and general offshore and inshore tasks."
Keane remarked that SOS developed the vessel from the ground up, incorporating extensive input from client New Zealand King Salmon. The design is fully customised to suit their operational requirements and the extreme environmental conditions in which the vessel will operate.
"While this level of tailoring is time-intensive, it consistently delivers a vessel that meets - and often exceeds - client expectations, making the additional investment of time well worthwhile."
While the vessel follows a largely conventional layout, its hull form has been optimised and all machinery and equipment have been carefully selected to maximise safety and energy efficiency and also to minimise manpower requirements. These are in line with aspects such as efficiency, crew safety, and operational economy, which Keane identified as key focus areas currently impacting naval architecture.
Whekenui was delivered in 2025, which Keane described as "a very strong year" for SOS, and in his view, 2026 is showing signs that it will be an even more successful year for the company.
"A significant portion of our work comes from repeat clients, and our existing customers continue to be our strongest advocates," he told Baird Maritime. "The aquaculture sector is highly interconnected, and positive experiences naturally lead to further opportunities and long-term relationships."
Within that same sector, Keane observed that innovation remains a priority, though the major trend will be increasing operational capability, particularly the ability to work safely and efficiently at offshore sites in adverse weather conditions. He expects that this demand for robust, offshore-capable vessels will grow significantly in the next few years.
Meanwhile, for the broader Australian workboat industry, he forecasts that fleet replacement will be a major driver of the industry in the coming years.
"Maintenance costs in Australia continue to rise sharply, while the cost of new vessels is, in many cases, decreasing. This creates a compelling case for replacement, which is further strengthened by the improved safety, efficiency and performance gains offered by modern vessel designs."
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