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Sept. 25, 2000

Aquiculture Boats for Canadian Maritimes

The boom in Canadian salmon farming has led to the development of a new type of fish carrier for the Bay of Fundy. Evolving from previous built designs, two of the specialized vessels are currently under construction. One, for Lime Kiln Fisheries, is being built at Minto Machine and Welding in Minto New Brunswick. The other, for Stolt Sea Farms, is building at East Isle Shipbuilding in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island.

The boat for Lime Kiln will have a steel 69x24x7'3"-foot hull with a forward cabin and a large open 48x24-foot after deck. The aft deck will be fitted with a crane for handling nets and tote boxes of fish. The forward cabin will be finished by the owners to provide a wheelhouse and accommodation for a crew of three. Power will be a pair of Cummins 6-cylinder N14M engines set up and rated for continuous duty at 360 HP at 1800 RPM coupled to a ZF IRM325 with a 3.407:1 ratio. The engine room is set just aft of midships with fuel tankage and water tight compartments in the rest of the hull.

The second boat, a little larger at 79.11x26x8 feet, is building for Stolt at the Irving Group’s East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown Prince Edward Island. This boat will also be powered by Cummins N14 engines although in this case they will use the heavy duty rating of 480 HP at 1800 RPM. Hydraulic power for an array of deck equipment will come from a Cummins 6Bt with 122 HP @ 1800 RPM and electrical needs will be met with a Cummins 4BT-powered 35 Kw gen set. The main engines are linked to Twin Disc MG516 gears with 3.5:1 ratio and turning into 50x40-inch four blade props. The boat is expected to make 11 to 12 knots.

Stolt Sea Farm spokesperson James Clark explains that the boat will be equipped with a hydraulic boom for brailing salmon from the farms directly into a tank of CO2 enriched water which will stun them. A paddle system then lifts them to a table where their gills are cut to bleed them prior to storage in ice slush in one of the 50 to 60 insulated totes that the aft deck will accommodate. The fish are then taken to a shore-based plant for further processing. The boat will service farms up to 30 miles from the plant and has a full set of electronics including GPS, plotter and dual radars. A combined galley and bunk room is provided for the comfort of the crew who are only on the boat by day.

For more information contact:

Kevin Gaddes
Minto Machine & Welding Ltd.
Minto N.B., Canada
Phone: 506 327-3361

or:

Dave Falkjar
Lime Kiln, St. Georges, N.B.
Phone: 506 755-7757

or:

Mary Kieth
Communications Officer
The Irving Group and, East Isle Shipyard
phone: 506 632-7777
e-mail: keith.mary@jdirving.com

or:

James Clark, Stolt Sea Farms
phone: 506 755 1967 cell: 506 754 5201 fax: 506 755 6556

or:

Norman Ferris
Cummins Eastern Canada
Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada
phone: 506 451_1929
e-Mail: Norm.R.Ferris@Cummins.com

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