Salmon fishery Bakkafrost Scotland has taken delivery of a 24m x 9m multipurpose workboat, laid out for activities ranging from general cargo transits to specific aquaculture support services.
Named Turas A Bhradain (‘The Salmon’s Journey’), the all-steel boat is the first of two near-identical bespoke units built by Macduff Shipyards, with the second to follow in July 2024. The design is described as a development of the 21m workboat Helen Rice, also designed by Macduff Ship Design (see Significant Small Ships of 2020).
Turas A Bhradain will initially operate alongside Bakkafrost Scotland’s wellboats Ronja Star and Ronja Fisk, preparing the pens for the wellboats to carry out freshwater treatments. The newbuild features a large forward ramp and an open working deck with offset port casing, for improved starboard side access. Other particulars include a depth of 3.1m and a draught of 2.25m, while the propulsive arrangement comprises two Doosan 4L 126 CAKH engines, each rated 373kW at 2,000rpm, driving nozzled Teignbridge propellers. The deck has a cargo capacity of 125tonnes and features two HS Marine cranes starboard, including an AK61 4E and an AK30 HE3 model.
On the subject of aquaculture support vessels, Ian Ellis, Macduff Ship Design MD, tells Ship & Boat International: “In general, the vessels are not high-speed as the day-to-day distances are relatively low, but the operations are technical and require vessels with the capacity for carriage of service items, nets and feed, and also the capability for operation of large cranes for handling these items at large outreaches.”
