Nordlaks receives new ‘green’ wellboat

Nordlaks, the fish farming company behind the giant Havfarm platform project, has taken delivery of its latest super hybrid wellboat.

Following a short flag hoisting ceremony, the Harald Martin was handed over by the Turkish builders Tersan where a crew was waiting to sail it back to Vesterålen in Norway next week.

Harald Martin is the second new wellboat hybrid to be delivered to Nordlaks this year. The sister ship MS Bjørg Pauline arrived in Vesterålen earlier in the year.

CEO Eirik Welde said: “It was good to finally take over Harald Martin. We are now very much looking forward to getting the boat safely home and into operation.

“After arrival in Vesterålen, the vessel will undergo the necessary approvals from the authorities before it is put into operation with the transport of fish to the slaughterhouse on Børøya.”

At 84 metres long and 19 metres wide, the MS Harald Martin is similar to the sister ship MS Bjørg Pauline, already in service and has the capacity to feed 600 tonnes of live fish.

Neither vessel uses diesel. They are instead powered by natural gas, in combination with a battery and shore power connection.

Nordlaks says the new fuel system means that the days of “black exhausts” are gone. The gas turbines were not only more efficient, but they were also cleaner and reduced CO₂ emissions.

The vessels can unload fish on Børøya using shore power. The crew on both boats will be seven plus two apprentices per shift, ie a total of 14 people plus four per boat.

CEO Welde said: “Operationally, this will also be an important step forward for us. The two new vessels give us the necessary capacity on the wellboat side and better opportunities for better planning and more efficient operations.”