The second vessel in a series of three sister ships built by Macduff Ship Design has been completed, with the enhanced efficiency promised by early design hull studies now proven.
New build fishing vessel, ‘ZENITH, BF 106’ was built at the newly developed Buckie site by Macduff Shipyards for owner Mark Robertson and sons Paul and Adam. The vessel replaces the owner’s previous two fishing vessels and is intended to fish out of Fraserburgh in the North East of Scotland, targeting primarily prawns in the North Sea region.
Designed between the yard and Macduff Ship Design, the yard commissioned the Wolfson Unit in Southampton UK to run a case study of two hull forms utilising CFD technology during the early design phase of the lead vessel.
The first hull form was a design previously built by the yard for a similar type of fishing. The second was the new concept model featuring increased length, a gradual bustle forward of the propeller and a unique stem where the bulbous bow was not fully submerged but rather tapered gradually into the bow’s upper region.
Results from the study indicated a significant reduction in hull resistance at the two test speeds of 8 and 10 knots which has now been verified during the first year of service of the sister ship.
Another significant difference between designs is the increase in beam from around 7.0 m of earlier vessels in this category up to around 7.6 m. The increase in beam allowed the vessel to carry less internal ballast whilst also creating more deck space which was of particular benefit within the accommodation and fish processing areas. This increase in hull efficiency enables the owner to save fuel, and in turn, reduce the emissions and environmental impact of the vessel.
ZENITH follows on from CELESTIAL DAWN BF 109 which was handed over in the summer of 2022, and will itself be followed by the third sister ship FOREVER FAITHFUL, now well under construction. All three vessels feature the same hull form and general fishing arrangement; however, each have their own unique internal layout to suit the owners’ preferences.
