New trawler for Argentine family

The 20.8m by 6.6m trawler was designed and built by the Contessi Shipyard at Mar del Plata, Argentina’s largest fishing port. Owned by the Galeano family, the new vessel is classed by RINA and will replace the family’s older boat the Galme I.

The new trawler will make just under 10 knots with a 600HP, six-cyliner Cummins KTA19-M main engine. At 1800RPM the engine will turn a propeller in a nozzle through a ZF 1800 marine geat with a 6:1 ratio. The nozzle will assure good power for towing a midwater trawl.

The boat is also capable of being rigged for purse seining, and the two gear types will allow for the catching of a wide variety of species including besugo (sea bream), merluza (hake), bonito and anchovita.

Tankage in the 3.2m deep hull includes 20,500l of fuel and 4,000l of water. The vessel’s hold is a healthy 87 cubic metres. Accommodation is provided for up to 10 fishermen. Auxiliaries for powering generators and hydraulics include a Cummins 6 CTA8.3G and a 4BT3.9-litre Cummins.

The launching of the Don Franco was accompanied by traditional fanfare, with sheets of sliver paper exploding over the vessel’s bow as it slipped down the ways to meet its natural element.