MAN wins seven-vessel factory trawler engine contracts

MAN Energy Solutions has won the contract to supply the propulsion system for seven 109-metre Russian factory trawlers.

Tersan shipyard will build the first vessel in Yalova, Turkey for the Russian Fishery Company (RFC) with a scheduled delivery date of July 2020. The following six identical vessels will be constructed in Russia.

The configuration of the newbuilding’s propulsion system features an MAN 14V32/44CR main engine (delivering 8,120 kW), an MAN Alpha VBS 1260 propeller, a gearbox including power take-off/power take-home with startup converter, and one MAN 9L21/31 and one MAN 7L21/31 genset. System delivery for the first vessel is scheduled for June 2019.

Norwegian naval architect, Skipsteknisk, was selected to design the high-tech factory trawlers. RFC’s requirements were for a vessel with capacity for operation in ice, accommodation for a crew of 139 and a high capacity for high-level processing on board, including surimi production.

The new trawlers are designed to have catching and processing capacity for more than 400 tonnes of pollock or 350 tonnes of herring per day, with a 300 tonne per day freezing capacity, plus a 250 tonne-per-day meal and oil plant. Fishroom capacity is 4,000 cubic metres, and there will be a 1,000 cubic-metre meal hold.

RFC is one of the largest Russian producers of wild whitefish and holds Russia’s largest quota for pollock. The company’s large fishing vessels are well suited for operation in all fishing areas and climates. They are equipped with modern fishing and processing equipment from leading international suppliers that enables the vessels to harvest different types of seafood. RFC’s strategic goals involve increasing the output of high value-added products through fleet modernisation, and coastal processing plants. Primary fishing species are pollock and pacific herring.