VESSEL REVIEW | Fruitful Harvest & Fruitful Bough – Mussel harvesting boats to be operated in Scotland’s Shetland Islands

Scottish family-owned company Blueshell Mussels has taken delivery of two new mussel harvesting vessels in a series.

Designed by Macduff Ship Design, Fruitful Harvest and Fruitful Bough were built by Etkin Marin of Turkey in fulfilment of a contract awarded by Norway’s Skagen Ship Consulting. Final commissioning was undertaken at Macduff Shipyards in Scotland.

Versatile aquaculture platforms

The 20-metre (70-foot) long vessels are designed for mussel harvesting but are capable of performing multiple roles within the industry. They are also designed to meet low water and air draught requirements for operation around the Shetland Islands.

Alongside this, vessel manoeuvrability during mussel harvesting operations is critical, so the vessels are arranged with both bow and stern thrusters to ensure accurate control at low speeds.

Macduff Ship Design and Blueshell Mussels worked closely together on the design from initial concept, through yard tender, to delivery to ensure that the vessels met all of the owner's requirements. The process led to bespoke vessels incorporating many new features to streamline all aspects of their operation.

The vessels can perform other tasks such as mooring work, crane operations, and towing. They are arranged with four specialist double harvest davits to starboard and a Guerra M230.20A marine crane.

Ample liveaboard spaces

With a beam of 7.2 metres (24 feet) and a depth of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet), the vessels have ample space for a state-of-the-art harvesting system and carriage of the harvested mussels.

Accommodation on each vessel includes a spacious cabin, a mess, a pantry, a lounge, and bunks for four crewmembers. The sanitary facilities include a water closet with a toilet and shower.

Sitting atop the fo’c’sle is the spacious wheelhouse, arranged with a NorSap skipper’s chair, controls to starboard, and a Furuno radar. The wheelhouse has access to the fo’c’sle deck via a door on the starboard side.

Internal steps lead down to main deck level and a small landing with dry locker, main deck access door, cabin access, and engine room access.

Moving below to the engine room, twin Doosan L126 TIH main engines that each produce 270 kW (360 hp) at 2,000 rpm drive fixed-pitch open propellers through Dong-I gearboxes with 4.04:1 reduction ratio. Auxiliary power is provided by a Doosan AD136 TI engine, which also drives the hydraulic system, and a Beta generator.

The propellers and bow and stern thrusters were all supplied by Kort Propulsion.

Both vessels are classed to the new UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency Workboat Code III, to operate in Category III waters up to 20 miles from a safe haven.