142
June 30, 2001

Mahachai Dockyard: Freezers for Southern Waters

The Mahachai Dockyard on the Gulf of Thailand at Tarchalom in the province of Samutsakorn is a leading builder of steel fishing boats. In late May of 2000 (see Cummins Hotips#111) the firm’s 100x140-metre waterfront yard was crowded with 16 boats under construction from 20 to 38 metres.

This year, in late June of 2001, there was much more space in the yard with two boats recently launched and being fitted out while two others, one a Bangkok restaurant boat, were under construction. The two boats in the water were similar to many of those being built last year. One, a 600 HP Cummins KTA19-powered 33 by 7 by 4.2-metre fish carrier was fitted with six insulated holds for carrying iced fish from northern Indonesian waters. With a total capacity for 180 tons of fish this boat is capable of making the six-day round trip from Thailand to Indonesia with additional days there to collect fish and returning with fresh product.

For the distant southern Indonesian waters it is necessary to freeze fish in order to deliver them to Thailand. To this end, an increasing number of freezer trawlers are being built, in Thai yards. One of the boats being fitted out at the Mahachai Dockyard was a 29 by 7 by 3.5-metre freezer trawler with three holds including one for freezing and two for storage. The boat has a 150-ton capacity. Although smaller than the fish carrier, this boat is equipped with a larger 12-cylinder KTA38-M0 Cummins engine rated at 850-HP at 1800 RPM to provide trawling power.

Still under construction was another freezer trawler. This one with the same 12-cylinder Cummins but designated KTA38-M1 and rated for 1000 HP at 1800 RPM. At 38 by 8 by 4.5 metres the boat has four freezer holds with a total capacity of 400 tons of fish (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). The hull features a bulbous bow and rolling chocks. When fishing south Indonesian waters with a crew of 30, it will make a typical voyage of four years, returning only for overhaul.

Across the Bang Pakong River at the PSP Marine shipyard, two freezer trawlers are being built for related Thai owners. These are even larger. At 47 by 8.5 by 5 metres they will pack 440 tons of frozen fish. To transport the large volumes of fish being produced by the freezer fleet, Thai owners are reported to be buying small reefer ships from as far away as Norway and Denmark. With most of the fish going to the domestic Thai market, at least one new 10,000-ton freezer plant has been built in Samutsakorn to accommodate the flow.

For more information and photos contact:

Sakchai Rujiprapa
Director, Mahachai Dockyard Co., Ltd.
200 Tawai Road, Tachalom District
Sumutsakorn, Thailand
Phone: 66 (034) 425359 or 425215 Fax: 66 (034) 425353

or:

Sathit Suwanprasert
Senior Engineer (marketing)
Diethelm & Co., Ltd.
1696 New Petchburi Road
Bangkapi Huaykwang, Bangkok
Phone: 662 254-4900 or 662 652-9230 ex 218
Moblie: 662 913 6599

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