VESSEL REVIEW | Fonnalaks – New stun and bleed boat for Norway’s Samlaks

Spain's Balenciaga Shipyard has delivered a new stun and bleed workboat to Norwegian salmon farming company Samlaks.

Fonnalaks was designed by Norwegian naval architecture firms Maritime Engineering and the Artic Group in compliance to DNV class rules. The newbuild has a length of 49.7 metres, a beam of 13.2 metres, a draught of four metres, a gross tonnage of 1,410, accommodations for 12 crewmembers, and a hybrid propulsion system consisting of a Corvus Orca Energy 904kWh battery and a 749kW main engine driving a Finnoy gear and propeller arrangement.

The propulsion may also be modified to allow the incorporation of hydrogen fuel cells when the alternative fuel becomes commercially available in the future. The owner expects this will better ensure the vessel's ability to operate while generating zero emissions and significantly reduced noise.

Live salmon is hauled on board the vessel and distributed across five cargo tanks with a total capacity of 600 cubic metres. Factory and processing equipment provided by Stranda Prolog and Optimar will help maximise the quality of the fish, ensuring optimal hygiene and reducing the risk of infection. Six bleed lines are also fitted, and the factory and associated equipment yield a slaughtering capacity of around 120 tonnes of salmon per hour.

Also fitted on the deck are three cargo cranes from Palfinger Marine.

Fonnalaks will be operated by Samlaks on behalf of a consortium of four Norwegian salmon harvesting companies. The consortium expects the vessel will handle a projected harvest volume of approximately 40,000 tonnes of fish each year.

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