VESSEL REVIEW | Creativity – Custom anchovy and sardine seiner for operation off South Africa's West Coast
Sachal Shipyard in South Africa recently handed over a new custom purse seiner to local customer Hesko Fishing.
Creativity was designed and built to satisfy a number of key requirements including being able to carry 320 tons of catch, maintaining a speed in excess of 10 knots when loaded, and having a draught shallow enough to be able to offload at certain sites that have draught restrictions. Her daily duties will centre on efficient fishing operations, rapid catch handling, and quick port turnarounds to maximise the number of trips per week.
“Everything about the vessel is unique, from her layout and powering philosophy to the equipment selection and fish hold configuration,” Nic Stevens, Managing Director at Sachal Shipyard, told Baird Maritime. ”She represents a significant step forward for vessels of this size and type in South Africa.”
Stevens explained that some of the vessel’s more notable features include: a 350kW RSW plant custom-designed by Everflo and installed vertically to lower the vessel’s centre of gravity and optimise forward space utilisation; an innovative, layout of six fish holds that allows all holds to be filled and emptied from a single central location through stepped bulkheads and a massive integrated coaming drainage system; and en suite heads for cabins, with crew comfort prioritised.
Combining performance with a significant hold capacity despite limited dimensions
“The owner required a highly efficient, custom-built purse seiner capable of operating on South Africa’s West Coast targeting both anchovy for fishmeal and sardines for human consumption,” added Stevens. “Key performance and dimensional targets were: a free running speed in excess of 12 knots and more than 10 knots when fully loaded; a fish-carrying capacity in excess of 320 tonnes while supporting a 350kW RSW plant; a very shallow draught with the ability to maintain an even keel in all loading conditions, enabling access to shallow-water ports for offloading; and high quality finishes and an appealing look that stand out from the status quo. The latter worked toward superior aesthetics but also superior performance and safety.”
Stevens said the entire vessel – from the deck gear layout to the machinery arrangement, interior finishes, and operational workflow – had to be tailored exactly to the owner’s precise requirements, “with the goal of setting a new benchmark for quality of build and finish in the industry.”
Propulsion configured for high-speed transits
Creativity has an LOA of 27 metres (89 feet), a beam of eight metres (26 feet), a lightship displacement of 175 tons, and space for 14 crewmembers.
A main engine drives a 2,000mm propeller via a stainless steel shaft and a Twin Disc gearbox to deliver free running speeds in excess of 12 knots and up to 11 knots when fully loaded. The other machinery includes a 150hp (110kW) stern thruster and a 125hp (93kW) bow thruster, both supplied by Petec.
Primary hydraulic power is taken from a PTO on the front of the main engine via a three-output clutchable PTO. A 240kVA primary generator and a 40kVA house/harbour generator complete the electrical generation package, while a 350kW HPU with full redundancy supplies power for the hydraulic systems.
“The vessel allows the owner to reach the fishing grounds first, harvest large volumes of fish in a compact vessel that still meets the under 24 metres (79 feet) registered length category, and return to port first due to her superior speed,” Stevens told Baird Maritime. “This faster turnaround can enable an extra trip per week compared with other vessels in the fleet.”
The propulsion system was deliberately designed for low-rpm torque and high efficiency rather than high-speed running. The large reduction ratio meanwhile allows the propeller to turn slowly while the main engine operates at its most efficient output points. According to Stevens, the overall package represents a significant optimisation for the vessel’s intended operational profile.
Deck laid out for improved safety and ease of use of equipment
The deck and fishing equipment include a Petec four-drum main purse winch, a 42-inch net stacker, a nine-ton pull net hauler, and a 12-inch fish pump that is hoisted and manoeuvred by a four-tone deck crane. The incorporation of a high-capacity RSW plant was deemed necessary, as sardines need to comply with strict food-safe handling parameters.
“Considerable thought went into the overall deck layout and net handling workflow to improve efficiency, deck safety, and operational flow,” said Stevens. “The entire deck package is very large and powerful and was selected and laid out to maximise operational efficiency and crew safety on a vessel of this size and type.”
In the six fish holds, catch is loaded via a dewatering screen into a massive hold coaming drainage system that removes as much water as possible, keeping the catch as dry as possible and maximising capacity. The vessel can position once under the quayside fish pump and have all six holds emptied by shore infrastructure without needing to reposition.
Enhanced crew amenities
The vessel also offers what Stevens described is a markedly safer and more comfortable working and living environment than is typical in this class with a dedicated galley, larger and more comfortable cabins, air conditioning, and numerous creature comforts. He explained that this will help the operator attract and retain good crew and officers, which will in turn improve production levels and overall operational safety.
“The primary electronics suite is from Simrad, being built around the SX93 sonar for advanced fish detection,” said Stevens. “The remainder of the system is based on a black box architecture, allowing different monitors to display different information and giving the bridge layout exceptional versatility. A comprehensive camera system, combined with large wheelhouse windows and multiple monitors, enables the master to monitor the entire vessel from the wheelhouse easily and without hassle.”
The vessel features a full walk-around bridge console, which Stevens said is a feature rarely seen on vessels of this size. The combination of the black box Simrad system, extensive camera coverage, and generous wheelhouse glazing creates an exceptionally ergonomic and safe working environment for the master, effectively giving him a 360-degree view and control of the vessel from one central position.
For Stevens, the primary design challenge in Creativity was in integrating a substantial machinery package into a compact hull while preserving maximum fish hold volume.
“We had to accommodate the main engine, the 240kVA primary genset, the 350kW HPU with full redundancy, the 40kVA harbour genset, electro-hydraulic powerpacks, and a four-inch fish-hold pumping system with full redundancy, all without compromising the large hold capacity required by the owner,” he told Baird Maritime.
The build schedule was meanwhile extremely aggressive. Sachal Shipyard needed the vessel ready to launch only 10 months after laying the keel.
“Compounding this, several critical long-lead machinery items only arrived approximately three months before the planned launch date. At the same time, we had to maintain consistently high levels of finish throughout the vessel while multiple trades and departments worked concurrently in a relatively confined space.”
Ultimately, as Stevens explained, the issues were overcome and the project was completed as a result of cooperation involving different departments.
“We learned that when people pull together with a shared vision, truly remarkable results can be achieved in a very short timeframe. This project reinforced that we at Sachal Shipyard are operating at a world-class level, not only in the engineering and construction of technically superior vessels, but also in creating vessels that are genuinely appealing and comfortable places for people to live and work on board.”
