Towards the 2017 season, the Danish shipbuilder Tuco Marine headquartered in Faaborg, introduces a new 14.99m work catamaran for the fish farm market. The boat requires no maintenance since it is built from composite materials, which guarantees very high strength and minimal weight. A construction with high strength and low weight allows not only high performance and speed but also reduced operational costs. Furthermore, the ballast tank system enables the use of cranes with a capacity that exceeds the standards for this class of boats.
The boat is designed for the fish farming industry where it will serve as a platform for work and crane operations. The unique construction has been tailored to fit the tasks in the industry and allows for heavy lifting. The tasks are diverse and include for example replacement of nets, feeding, underwater inspection, research, dredging, installation, repair and maintenance of structures.
The 14.99 meter ProZero catamaran is equipped with a ballast tank system in order to supply the inherently light vessel with the weight and hence stability necessary to counter any imbalances that may occur during heavy lifts at the breeding facilities. The heavy work includes replacement of nets on smaller cages and handling of heavy equipment. By utilizing the ballast system, the weight distribution can be easily adjusted to obtain the necessary stability. The operation takes just 6 minutes and the boat is ready for lifting.
The boat has been developed in close cooperation with the industry to satisfy the interest in more innovative solutions as alternatives to the heavy steel-based boats, that have served the industry for many years.
“The heavy steel boats generally run at a lower speed of approximately 9 to 11 knots, whereas the new boat runs at over 20 knots, and this is possible even with a 30% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the heavier and slower steel alternatives. This of course leads to substantial operational savings for the active operators on these boats”, says Jonas Pedersen, managing director of Tuco Marine. “In addition to the financial savings, there is far less emission of NOx and other pollutants, and this is certainly a plus in a sector that depends on natural resources.”
The ProZero catamaran is equipped with a workshop, dressing room and bathroom facilities in immediate connection with the forward mounted cabin which houses the crew. This design makes the boat particularly suited for long term operations. The operation of the boat can be monitored with the help of a dome-camera fitted on the superstructure with 360o coverage.