Two new 20m vessels are now starting operations at the numerous mussel farm sites around the Shetland Islands in the North of Scotland.
The two sister vessels, ‘Fruitful Harvest’ and ‘Fruitful Bough’ were delivered to their owners Blueshell Mussels of Shetland by Macduff Ship Design. Skagen Ship Consulting was contracted for the vessels’ construction, working with their chosen shipyard, Etkin Marin of Turkey. Following completion and shipping to the UK, the vessels completing commissioning at Macduff Shipyards before their final voyage to their home waters.
Macduff Ship Design and Blueshell Mussels worked very closely together on the design from initial concept, through yard tender, to delivery to ensure that the vessels met all of the owners’ requirements.
Designed principally for mussel harvesting, the versatile vessels are able to perform multi-role tasks such as mooring work, crane operations and towing alongside their harvesting duties. They are also designed to meet low water and air draft requirements for operation around the Islands. Vessel manoeuvrability during mussel harvesting operations is critical - so the vessels are arranged with both bow and stern thrusters to ensure accurate control at low speeds.
The vessels are arranged with four specialist double harvest davits to starboard and a Guerra M230.20A marine crane supplied by Thistle Group. With a beam of 7.20m and depth of 2.30m, the vessels have ample space for the state-of-the-art harvesting system and carriage of the harvested mussels.
The vessels feature a spacious cabin, mess and pantry area below deck forward, with bunks for 4 crew. Off this area is a WC with a toilet and shower. Sitting atop the fo’c’sle is the spacious wheelhouse, arranged with skipper’s chair and controls to starboard, and crew lounge to port.
The wheelhouse has access to the fo’c’sle deck via a door on the starboard side. Internal steps lead down to main deck level and a small landing with dry locker, main deck access door, cabin access and engine room access.
Moving below to the engine room, twin 360HP Doosan L126 TIH main engines running at 2000rpm are installed, driving fixed pitch open propellers through Dong-I gearboxes with 4.04:1 reduction ratio. Auxiliary power is provided a Doosan AD136 TI, which also drives the hydraulic system, and a Beta genset. The propellers and bow and stern thrusters were all supplied by Kort Propulsion.
Both vessels are classed to the new UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency Workboat Code III, to operate in Category III waters up to 20 miles from a safe haven.
