Stark Bros Ltd of Lyttelton, New Zealand, is well into the construction of its latest design and build project, a 16.8-metre steel fishing trawler.
The trawler is currently under construction in the company’s Lyttelton shipbuilding facility and due for launch in the second quarter of 2011.
This project follows on from a successful string of new vessels launched from the Stark Bros yard, starting with the FV Frontier in August 2004, FV Jubilee in January 2008 and FV Nessie J in March 2009.
According to Stark, the new vessel will incorporate the best features of previous vessels with some new developments to ensure that the operator – local company Ocean Fisheries Ltd – will continue to be at the forefront of the catching sector in the New Zealand inshore fishing industry.
Recently awarded contracts will see the installation of a Hundested Marine Gear CPG-32 9.05:1 gearbox with a Hundested Variable Pitch 1800mm diameter Propeller, coupled to the fuel efficient Scania DI12 59M 350hp at 1,800rpm.
Ocean Fisheries has specified that this vessel is to be commissioned and operated on 100% BioDiesel supplied from BioDiesel New Zealand Ltd.
While only fractionally longer than FV Jubilee, the draft has been increased to 3.2m to allow a much larger 1800mm propeller to be fitted, which with the 9.05:1 gear ratio and the propeller running in a fixed nozzle should provide this vessel with significant fuel savings.
The trawl winches, net rollers, and deck lifting equipment are also of Stark Bros design and construction.
The vessel will be capable within a wide range of fishing areas, usually fishing traditional inshore market fishing grounds within 100 miles of Lyttelton.
Onboard mechanised handling systems will allow the skipper and two crew to easily handle high volumes of fish, while also maintaining the ability to operate with smaller quantities of traditionally higher value/market species.
