Inuit-owned fishing company Baffin Fisheries has chosen seafood processing equipment supplier Carsoe for the delivery of a complete onboard factory for its new coldwater shrimp and halibut freezer trawler.
“Carsoe was chosen after a very competitive bidding process and consultation with our captains, vessel crew and the shipyard, which has worked with Carsoe many times in the past. We are very pleased with the selection and look forward to working with Carsoe as a true partner throughout the build process, and into operations,” Baffin Fisheries CEO Chris Flanagan said.
On delivery, the new vessel is expected to be the largest Canadian-owned fishing vessel with a length of 80 metres and a beam of 18 metres. Its cargo capacity will be around 1,320 tonnes of frozen-at-sea Greenland halibut (turbot) or around 930 tonnes of shrimp.
“This vessel deserves a first-class onboard factory, and we are very happy to be chosen as the processing partner. The factory is designed to ensure high yield, automated process and easy handling,” Carsoe Group Sales Director Jeppe Christensen said.
The factory deck will house a complete Carsoe processing factory, including automated bycatch separation, shrimp grader and a batch cooking line. The processed shrimp can be frozen in one of the three IQF tunnel freezers or in the two automatic horizontal freezers.
Once the catch is processed and frozen, the packing section will be fitted with two robotic units for sorting product. Pallets will be equipped with layered wrapping for safe storage at sea and labelled before being sent to the cargo hold. To maximise the utilisation of the compact factory deck, a hybrid palletising solution with an integrated elevator will be installed.
The automated flow in the processing plant means less heavy lifting and a better working environment for the crew.
Aalborg, Denmark-headquartered Carsoe has worked with Baffin Fisheries for many years and has handled several services, maintenance, and rebuild jobs on the fishing company’s two existing freezing trawlers Sivilluq and Inuksuk.
This long-term relationship led to the contract for the newest addition to Baffin’s fleet.
“We have benefited from Carsoe’s pre-engineered solutions, efficient and effective implementation, pre-set cost budgets, productive workdays by experienced technicians - all followed up with great parts supply and shipping, when operations are in full swing,” Baffin Fisheries Fleet Manager Jason Dunphy said.
Based in Iqaluit, Nunavut on Baffin Island, Baffin Fisheries harvests more than 10,000 tonnes of Greenland halibut and coldwater shrimp annually. The company already owns three factory fishing vessels.
