New arrival adds extra capacity for Chilean wellboat operator

A refurbished wellboat will soon increase the Chilean salmon industry’s capacity for non- pharmacological lice treatments after making the long journey from Norway.

The Nachipa Wellboats vessel Ronia Polaris, formerly the Ronja Polaris, arrived in Valparaíso last Monday for inspection by state aquaculture agency Sernapesca in dry dock.

The ship is expected to arrive in Puerto Montt to carry out some technical tests, after which it will head to the Aysén region, where it will operate mainly in salmon farming.

Contract with Blumar

Nachipa has a contract for the Ronia Polaris with salmon farmer Blumar, but it may not be the vessel’s only customer.

“We are in conversation with other producers to be able to make available to them, in close operational planning with Blumar, the operating time of this modern wellboat,” said Nachipa.

The Ronja Polaris was constructed in 2013 by Astilleros Zamakona Bilbao yard, Spain, for the world’s biggest wellboat operator, Sølvtrans, which is a part owner of Nachipa.

Reverse osmosis

The multipurpose vessel can transport live harvested salmon, and smolts, and its wells can be used for closed bath treatments to remove lice. It will specialise in non-pharmacological treatments and has a reverse osmosis system for generating fresh water.

The wellboat is 75.8 metres long and has a 16-metre beam and a total draft of 7.7 metres. It has a well capacity of 3,200m³ and can transport up to 500 tonnes of fish.

Ronia Polaris increases Nachipa’s wellboat fleet to four. The other vessels are the 3,200m³-capacity Ronia Diamond (2017), 1,950m³-capacity Ronia Atlantic (2009), and 1,100m³-capacity Ronia Pioneer (2005), all of which were originally operated by Sølvtrans.