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November 8, 2004

Powerful New Freezer-Trawler for Thailand

The new trawler in final stages of readiness for her first voyage.

At Mahachai, near the mouth of Thailand’s Tachine River, the departing and returning fishboats on the Tachine River light a string of firecrackers that hangs from the forward mast. One recent afternoon in early November, a classic wooden Thai trawler made its way up river her low freeboard testament to good catches and full holds. As she passed a new steel trawler being outfitted at dockside, she set off an exploding string of firecrackers to celebrate her safe return and good fishing. She might also have been honoring the latest addition to the famed Mahachai fishing fleet.

The new boat had been delivered a week earlier from Mahachai’s P.S.P. Marine on the Tachine River in Samutsakhon province just east of Bangkok. At the shipyard work continues on numbers 8 and 9 of a 15-vessel 36-meter trawler order for Bangladesh owners as well as a 5 vessel order of 56-meter trawlers for Thai owners fishing Somalia and Mozambique waters. The new 40x8-meter trawler being outfitted under the watchful eye of her captain Khun Vinai at a nearby dock, is powered by a 1000 HP Cummins KTA38-M1 main engine. This will provide ample power to maintain a 4-knot speed while towing her trawl with its 12x2-meter mouth and cod end capable of taking up to 1500 kilos per tow. The main engine turns into a Reintjes 572 gear with a 7:1 reduction. The boat has a 9-knot cruising speed with an 11-knot maximum speed. Also in the engine room, two 400 HP Cummins NTA855 auxiliaries drive 220 Kw generators to provide electrical power to a total of four 30 HP compressors giving the boat a 2000 kilogram per day freezing capacity. The holds in the boat’s 5-meter molded depth have capacity for up to 250 tons of frozen fish. A third Cummins NTA855 on the main deck provides power for the trawl winches.

Diethelm's Khun Sathit Suwanprasert, owner Mrs. Voranad Mekarportn, Capt. Khun Vinai and owner Khun Thamrong Mekarporn. Additional photos of the engine room are available.

Owners of the trawler, Khun Thamrong Mekarporn and his wife Voranad, expect the boat to complete her sea trials by mid November. She will then leave to fish Indonesian waters. This is the second vessel for the Mekarporn’s who also operate Highsea Oil Service Co. Ltd. and A.T. Engineering and Fluid Co. Ltd. This latter firm offers various maritime filter products including oily water separators and reverse osmosis systems.

For more information contact:

Khun Thamrong Mekarporn
6/17 Moo 7 Soi Srinakarincenter
Srinakarin Road T. Bangmeung
Meung Samuprakarn
10270 Thailand
Moblie Phone: 66 1 6168517
Or 66 01 3725377

Khun Siva Boontanonda
Managing Director
P.S.P. Marine Co. Ltd.
119/53 Moo 1 Tachine
Muang Samutsakhon 74000
Thailand
Phone: 66 (34) 821046
Fax: 66 (34) 821048
Moblie: 01 825 7007

Khun Sathit Suwanprasert
Senior Engineer, Marketing Dept.
Diethelm & Co.Ltd.
Engineering Division
1696 New Petchburi Road
Bangkapi Huaykwang
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
Mobile: 662 (01) 913-6599

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