New Zealand company Sealord has purchased the ‘Ocean Dawn’, a vessel that has been under contract to the fishing company since July 2011, for around NZD20m.
This decision - which is thanks to increases in sustainable hoki quota, its most important species - means that the company is securing 84 fishing jobs and its on-shore support teams.
General manager Sealord Fishing, Doug Paulin, says the decision to invest in the vessel is a reflection of Sealord’s confidence in the sustainability of hoki and commitment to New Zealand based fishing operations.
“This investment is substantial at close to NZD 20 million and underlines Sealord’s confidence that hoki is one of the world’s most sustainable white fish species with considerable upside in the future in both value and catch,” said Mr Paulin.
Hoki is the target species for Ocean Dawn and the fish makes up around half of Sealord’s revenue by value.
Investment will go beyond the purchase of the 63m freezer factory trawler, with work underway to refit and improve the onboard factory and the addition of a gym for the crews. Upgrades of crew quarters and a five year refit will take place when the vessel goes into dry dock at the end of 2015.
Vessel particulars
| Launched | 1991 |
| Length | 63m |
Vessel class | Sterkoder Freezer Factory Trawler, built in Norway |
Capacity | Up to 530t frozen fish and 160t fishmeal |
Crew | 84 in total (two crews) |
