Designed to deliver considerable hauling power with less fuel consumption and also offering reduced drag in the water, the new 38-metre beam trawler Z-26 Avanti has been received by her owners, the Depaepe family of the Devan Shipping Company, and will now take up her place in the Belgian fishing fleet.
Built by Damen Maaskant Shipyards, and with a design spanning the maximum length and tonnage allowed by Belgian maritime regulations, Avanti was built to the latest standards of comfort, technology and sustainability. Specific modifications were made to suit to the Belgian fishing company’s methods.
“Devan Shipping Company aimed for a highly efficient and profitable ship. Damen Maaskant modified the design together with SIP Marine to reduce fuel consumption and increase hauling power. The ship also has an imprinted anode system on board, ICCP, eliminating the need for anodes on the hull. This has the main effect of reducing drag,” Project Manager, John van der Maas, said.
New and unique on this fishing cutter is a cold room for provisions, which has been installed instead of refrigerators.
“Cooperation with all subcontractors went like a well-oiled machine. This ultimately led to an excellent end result,” Van der Maas said.
The hull was built and launched in Gdansk, Poland, and then finished at Damen Maaskant’s yard in Stellendam, in the Netherlands.
Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the trawler was quickly finished within the agreed timeframe.
Devan Shipping Company Owner, Steve Depaepe, said he is impressed with Avanti.
“As a 14-year-old boy, I dreamed of a real Maaskant beam trawler. Childhood dreams come true in Stellendam. A new fishing cutter for our Flemish fleet gives young fishermen hope for a future at sea and inspires new childhood dreams. My captain and crew are eager to go to sea with this magnificent vessel, equipped for comfortable and safe fishing trips.”
Damen Maaskant Shipyards Commercial Manager, Jeroen van den Berg, commented, “It is our goal to remain a leader in the development and production of innovative and sustainable vessels for growing, harvesting and catching food from the sea. In this way, we want to secure the future of our industry for generations to come.”
Z-26 is the second vessel built to Damen Shipyards’ BT3808 design.
