210
March 20, 2003
Thailand Building Fleet
MITS General Manager Khampon Inthawat with Cummins sales rep
for Diethelm & Co. Sathit Suwanprasert.
Mahachai Dockyard Director Sakchai Rujiprapa with Cummins sales rep
for Diethelm & Co. Sathit Suwanprasert.
 Boat nearing completion at MITS, note the corrugated iron interior bulkheads on module in the foreground. |
The shipyards of Thailand’s Samutsakhon province continue to turn out a steady volume of fishing boats for Thai owners involved in distant water fisheries in places such as southern Indonesia. Two of the leading yards in this field are MITS. Decisions Company Limited and the Mahachai Dockyard Company Limited. In late February this year, both yards had a number of new vessels under construction as well as in the water undergoing final fitting out.
At MITS, General Manager Khampon Inthawat explains that the yard will deliver 12 to 14 vessels in 2003 which is similar to the number delivered in 2002. These are not all fishing boats as a number are fish carriers and small tankers that supply the distant water fishing fleets. Smaller fishing boats in the 24-metre range are ice boats being built for joint-venture fisheries in the nearer waters such as those of Sarawak and Malaysia. These are typically powered with six-cylinder 500 to 640 HP Cummins KTA19 engines. Larger, 45 to 50-metre, fishing boats are now generally built with refrigeration capabilities and will have V-12 cylinder Cummins KTA38 engines for towing power with ratings for 800 to 1000 HP.
 View from the bow on recently finished 38-metre trawler at Mahachai. |
Support vessels include both fish carriers and fuel tankers. The carrier boats are typically built with KTA38 main engines. The tankers have a mix of Cummins KTA19 and KTA38 mains. The refrigerated carrier boats have a capacity of about 300 tons each. The fleet-supply tankers have capacities of 700,000 to 900,000 litres.
At the nearby Mahachai Dockyard, Director Sakchai Rujiprapa reports that his firm built 18 trawlers in 2002 and expects to deliver a similar number in 2003. At the Mahachai yard the vessels are intended for the primary fishing role. Most, although not all, of the boats under construction at this yard have a slightly bulbous bow or extended forefoot which was inspired by a Norwegian design both for fuel conservation and to reduce pitching. Both shipyards employ corrugated steel plate for many internal bulkheads as is done in some Japanese shipyards. This is favoured over angle iron stiffeners as it is easier to paint and maintain rust free.
 Cummins KTA38 M1 installed in 38-metre trawler at Mahachai Dockyard. |
Nearing completion on the ways at Mahachai was a large fishing boat designed to shoot a large gillnet from the transom. Alongside and being prepared for delivery where three large trawlers including one that was nearly ready for delivery. This boat will fish prawns and squid for the high end Japanese, US and EU markets and so it is equipped with refrigeration capable of holding fish at minus 40 degrees Celsius. This well equipped 38 by 7.5-metre boat has a 12-cylinder Cummins KTA38 M1 rated for 1000 HP at 1800 RPM as the main engine. Two six-cylinder Cummins KTA19 powered generator sets deliver 250 Kw each while a third KTA19 powered the deck winches. Virtually all boats built at Mahachai Dockyard Company have Cummins engines. In some cases these are rebuilt engines but most are new.
 Quality wood work at Mahachai Dockyard |
For further information contact:
Sathit Suwanprasert
Senior Engineer, Marketing Dept.
Diethelm & Co.Ltd.
Engineering Division
1696 New Petchburi Road
Bangkapi Huaykwang
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
Phone: 662 254 4900
Phone: 662 652 9230
Fax: 662 254 4913
Mobile: 662 (01) 913_6599
E-Mail: Sathit sumonta@eng.diethelm.co.th
 Bows of recently launched vessels at Mahachai Dockyard. |
Khampon Inthawat
General Manager
MITS. Decisions Co., Ltd.
62/2 Moo Tambol Tajeen
Amphur Muang,
Samutsakhon
Thailand 74000
Phone: 663 442 5401
Fax: 663 442 4664
E-mail: k.intrhawat@hotmail.com
Sakchai Rujiprapa
Director
Mahachai Dockyard Co. Ltd.
200 Tawai Rord,
Tachalom District
Samutsakorn, Thailand
Phone: 663 442 5359
Fax: 663 442 5353
525-501, 500-476, 475-451, 450-426, 425-401, 400-376
375-351, 350-326, 325-301, 300-276, 275-251, 250-226, 225-201
200-176, 175-151, 150-126, 125-101, 100-76, 75-51, 50-26, 25-0
