The hull of the new longliner for Austral Fisheries, Austral Odyssey, has been completed in Poland and towed to the Båtbygg yard in Norway for outfitting.
Built to an MT1115-L design, Austral Odyssey is scheduled to be delivered at the end of this year. Designer Marin Teknikk has extensive experience in developing vessels for the challenging conditions in the Southern Ocean, and has a long relationship with longliner operator Ervik Havfiske which operates both in Norwegian and Southern Ocean waters.
The MT1115-L design draws on the work Marin Teknikk completed for Østerfjord in 2022 and incorporates a moonpool to provide a safer working environment for the crew while hauling lines.
The 68.55-metre, 14.6-metre breadth newbuild’s design includes additional bunker capacity, opening possibilities for running on less energy-dense renewable fuels such as methanol, which have the potential to reduce emissions of CO2 by 70-80% compared to conventional operation.
Austral Odyssey’s advanced energy-saving hybrid propulsion layout features an integrated load-shaving battery package and two-step gear box, designed to curb emissions and further improve fuel efficiency.
Accommodation is for a crew of up to 33.
In addition to innovations in design and efficiency, Austral Odyssey will be equipped for value-added production of the company’s premium MSC-certified Glacier 51 Toothfish brand at sea.
It’s only a few years since Austral Fisheries took delivery of the multi-purpose Cape Arkona, also built at Båtbygg. This time the company has opted for Austral Odyssey to be a dedicated longliner, while Cape Arkona is capable of fishing with pots, longlines and pelagic trawl gear.
