HB Grandi’s freezer trawler ''Örfirisey'' is back at sea in the Norwegian sector following a pitch propeller malfunction.
While fishing in the Russian part of the Barents Sea in October last year, a control rod in the controllable pitch propeller failed, with the result that Örfirisey was towed to Svolvær in northern Norway for repairs.
HB Grandi’s freezer trawler operations manager Loftur Bjarni Gíslason, said: “As well as the repairs to the propeller, the main engine and the reduction gear were both stripped down and checked, and that was complete at the beginning of the week.
“Örfirisey sailed on Wednesday and has a 40-day trip ahead. I expect the trawler to be back at the end of this trip to land its catch in Reykjavík.”
According to Mr Gíslason, spare parts had to be sourced from the manufacturer before repairs could be carried out. As the vessel was also due for a scheduled maintenance layup in 2018, the decision was taken to carry out both the repair and scheduled maintenance at the Skarvik shipyard in Svolvær, Norway, at the same time.
