Organic salmon farmer plugs into the hybrid era
Service vessel will reduce noise and fuel consumption
A new semi-hybrid power fish farm service vessel is to serve salmon producer Organic Sea Harvest (OSH) as part of an ongoing partnership with Mull-based Inverlussa Marine Services.
The 21-metre Arthur Douglas, built by Nauplius Workboats in the Netherlands, will be used at the OSH sites off the coast of the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye.
This will also be the first time that OSH has used a semi-hybrid vessel, which will reduce noise and fuel consumption during overnights or days when the vessel is stormed off.
The semi-hybrid system on board the Arthur Douglas uses a battery pack to store excess generator energy during operational hours. This can then be used to power harbour settings, allowing the generators to be shut down.
The Arthur Douglas has been custom built with aquaculture and mooring operations in mind, with a deck cargo capacity of 90 tonnes and a 15 tonne deck winch. Two deck cranes – one forward and one aft – have lifting capabilities of 72 tonne/m and 30 tonne/m respectively.
OSH sites manager Robaidh Halliday said: “We are pleased to welcome the Arthur Douglas to our sites. She has been specifically designed to meet our multipurpose needs. With her large deck space, twin cranes and winch, she will be able to handle anything we ask of her. We have a great working relationship with Inverlussa and we are very much look forward to continuing this with the addition of the Arthur Douglas to our operations.”
Up-to-date vessels
Inverlussa managing director Ben Wilson said he appreciated the trust OSH placed in the company.
“Our strategy remains focused on investing in the most up-to-date vessels and partnering with the industry’s finest crew, with the Arthur Douglas being a prime example,” said Wilson.
“We believe Arthur Douglas will be a great fit for OSH operations. It’s a vessel design we’ve had a lot of good experience with, and the semi-hybrid system is a big improvement which will result in efficiencies and reduced fuel use throughout the year. Along with our crew, we are keen to get started.”
Organic Sea Harvest currently operates a landing craft - Bàta nam Bràthairean - alongside three smaller personnel vessels: Lealt, Kilmaluag and Kilmartin. The company previously welcomed another Inverlussa vessel, John Wilson, into the fleet.
