The newest addition to Iceland’s fresher trawler fleet has been delivered to its owners in the port of Grindavík. The Skipasýn-designed Hulda Björnsdóttir has been built at Astilleros Armón, originally for fishing company Thorfish.
Hulda Björnsdóttir was initially ordered in the expectation that it would supply Thorfish’s groundfish processing in Grindavík, but the turmoil in both the community and the port due to the volcanic activity that threatened the town has resulted in a number of changes, alongside a generational shift with changes to the ownership and operations of the company’s three vessels.
The 57.8-metre Hulda Björnsdóttir has a moulded breadth of 13.6 metres and a hold capacity for approximately 720 x 1,000-litre tubs. Accommodation onboard is for up to 15 people in 12 single cabins plus a sick bay, and three two-berth cabins.
The propulsion is a trademark Skipasýn arrangement, with a large-diameter, slow-running propeller delivering a 61-tonne bollard pull. The main engine is a 2300kW MAN7L27/38 turning a three-bladed, 5,000mm diameter MAN propeller at 78rpm via a Reintjes reduction gear. Electrical power onboard comes from the 1,300kW Siemens shaft generator and from the 500 and 250kW Scania gensets. Steering gear is from Hidramarin, which is supported by a Balino 300kW bow thruster.
The catch processing deck has been outfitted by Micro for fresh catches iced in tubs. Climafrio supplied the 20-tonne/day icemaker and the semi-automated handling loads the tubs. The fish room is outfitted with a Crane Solutions remotely controlled cargo crane for handling the 1,000-litre tubs.
Designed from the outset as a twin-rigger, Hulda Björnsdóttir has deck equipment supplied by Ibercisa. The three 200Kw, 39-tonne trawl winches, managed by a Scantrol system, are mounted at shelterdeck level to keep the trawl deck clear, with the mid-wire winch offset on the port side.
The full-length trawl deck is laid out with three trawl lanes, with three pairs of 55kW, 15-tonne sweepline winches, plus there is also a pair of 75kW, 16-tonnes net drums. The winch package includes twin 75kW gilsons, pairs of 55kW codend and outhaul winches, and three 30kW trix winches, as well as retriever, backstrop and other winches. Ibercisa also supplied the anchor winch and the discharging crane, while the deck crane is from Guerra Marine.
