VIDEO: Aker BioMarine orders krill harvesting support vessel

Krill harvesting support vessel

Krill-harvesting company Aker BioMarine is to build a new, energy efficient vessel with a $65 million price tag to support its Antarctic operations.

To be built at the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China, the 168 m long, 20,300 dwt vessel will be specifically designed to have as minimal an impact on the environment as possible and will comply with the IMO Polar Code.

The vessel will replace Aker BioMarine’s existing support vessel, La Manche.

“Protection of the environment is an absolute essential for us, and the design of this vessel has sustainability as a primary focus. It incorporates the latest energy saving and environmentally friendly technologies, such as the hybrid propulsion system, and an advanced heat recovery system that helps to reduce the carbon footprint even further,” says Eldar Vindvik, Director Fleet Renewal at Aker BioMarine.

Wärtsilä both design the vessel and provide it with a comprehensive package of integrated propulsion and hybrid solutions

The new vessel will be powered by Wärtsilä’s award winning Wärtsilä 31 engine, recognized by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient four-stroke diesel engine. Two Wärtsilä 20 engines will provide the auxiliary power. The engines will all be fitted with Wärtsilä’s NOx Reducer (NOR) to prevent nitrogen oxide emissions when in diesel mode. Wärtsilä will also deliver the power distribution system, including hybrid drives and a battery package, the gearbox, controllable pitch propeller and thrusters. A Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum Joystick system will be supplied to enhance the efficiency and safety of the ship’s operations. To ensure optimal system performance and energy utilization, the integrated solution is controlled by Wärtsilä’s power and energy management system and propulsion control.

The ship will carry supply goods and liquids, as well as krill products from krill harvesting vessels working in the Antarctic area and will feature a custom cargo handling system from Norwegian supplier Aukra Maritime that will halve the time it takes to load and unload the processed and packaged krill.

The vessel is expected to be ready for the 2021 harvesting season.

The vessel is expected to be ready for the 2021 harvesting season.