Ireland-based Antarctic Fishing Company has placed an order at the Skipper Expo with Karstensens Shipyard in Denmark for a newbuild pelagic trawler.
The 62.6m Antarctic will replace the 53m trawler of the same name and will operate along the same pattern as the existing vessel, targeting mackerel and herring. Antarctic's home port will be Killybegs in Ireland.
Antarctic Fishing Company was established in 1987 with the purchase of the first Antarctic and, along with wife Teresa, is headed by Eamon McHugh, a well-known pelagic fishing personality who has been in the business for 40 years.
The vessel's design and specification are a result of close cooperation between owners and yard with the focus on safety and comfort for the crew, catch handling and storage facilities and optimising of fuel consumption.
Supplies have been chosen carefully to match specification and requirements, with Killybegs-based Sea Quest supplying the full deck machinery/winch/crane package. Fellow Killybegs firm KER Group will supply the full RSW-machinery and vacuum unloading packages whilst Barry Electronics, also of Killybegs, will supply the electronics for the new vessel.
MAN ES will be supplying the propulsion plant, including a 9L27/38 main engine. Caterpillar will supply the auxiliary engines, comprising two main units, one 930 and one 550kWe.
The new Antarctic is scheduled for delivery in July 2021 and Karstensens Shipyard has orders for a further ten pelagic vessels which are to be delivered throughout the next two years.
