Vessel built for delousing duties
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A NEW fish farm support vessel was unveiled recently at Damen Shipyards, ahead of its delivery to Norway, where it will be used in delousing operations.
The 43m, 499 tonne utility vessel 4312 is the result of extensive discussions with the global fish farming industry, said Damen.
She has a large expanse of deck space, which can be used for a wide variety of supporting services for fish farms.
This first UV 4312 will be fitted with the latest chemical-free delousing installation and offers the ability to service more farms across larger areas and in more open waters.
The vessel was commissioned by the Norwegian company Volt Service and following the open day at Damen’s Gorinchem yard, she sailed for Norway, where she is being fitted with modular delousing equipment.
She will be formally christened VOLT Processor at the end of May, before beginning her duties providing delousing operations and other services to Norwegian salmon farms in the Harstad area.
Remøy Management was closely involved in the development of the project and will manage the vessel once she is delivered.
On its Facebook page, Volt Services said the vessel had been fitted with an Optilicer 4XL delousing system, made by Optimar, and would operate along the entire west coast of Norway and occasionally in the UK.
The vessel, which builds on the development work that went into her smaller predecessor, the UV 2410, features a low freeboard, easy access to the waterline on both sides, a large hold and removable railings for hose-handling operations.
The standard UV 4312 also comes with a diesel-electric configuration that provides an efficient, flexible power supply for the 750kW propulsion installation and for the deck equipment when moored within farms.
During the build of Volt Processor, protection for the propellers from nets and their mooring lines was added, along with a large oxygen generating plant and extra deck equipment such as cranes, a capstan and tugger winches.
‘The UV 4312 is a highly adaptable vessel,’ said Remko Hottentot, Damen sales manager for Norway.
‘Her modular deck configuration makes it quick and cost effective to remove equipment and replace with new installations on deck.
‘As well as fish farming support, she can be fitted out for light IRM work for the offshore energy sector, buoy-laying plus dive and ROV support.
‘However we see the greatest potential in the globally fast growing aquaculture industry. The multi-functional potential for the vessel was reflected at our open day by the attendance of representatives from a wide variety of companies from different countries.’
Picture: The new class Damen utility vessel will be deployed at Norwegian salmon farms