Dutch shipyard, Nauplius Workboats, has signed an exclusive agreement with Scotland-based Gael Force to build the range of SeaFeed steel feed barges.
The long-term international partnership with Nauplius boosts Gael Force’s engineering capacity and capability and creates an extended range of competitively positioned steel feed barges for aquaculture producers.
As part of the agreement, the structural build of the steel barge hulls, surface treatments and painting will take place at Groningen, Netherlands, before being towed across to Inverness for mechanical and electrical full fit-out and installation of the SeaFeed system by the Gael Force team.
Commenting, Technical Director and Naval Architect of Nauplius, Gerrit Knol said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Gael Force on this long term collaboration in support of the aquaculture sector in Scotland, and overseas. Our ship design and build quality is already widely appreciated and we are pleased to bring our expertise into this partnership.”
Gael Force Group MD Stewart Graham said, “Along with our own team’s experience in design and build, Nauplius’ levels of technical knowledge and overall experience in the sector offer us complete confidence that this partnership will bolster our robust and reliable range of feeding barges for fish farming. As both companies are running a lean cost base.”
Two 400T SeaFeed barges will be built immediately with one already pre-sold to a major Scottish salmon producer The agreement is also good news for Gael Force’s international customers particularly producers in Norway, Iceland and the Faroes.
Pictured: Gerrit Knol, Technical Director and Naval Architect for Nauplius (left) and Stewart Graham, Managing Director for Gael Force Group (right).
