We are very pleased to announce that we have signed a shipbuilding contract with Freire Shipyard in Vigo/Spain, for the delivery of a new harvest vessel to be named Tauriko. This family owned yard has deep roots within shipbuilding dating back to the late 19th century, and has delivered a long list of advanced vessels throughout the past decades.
This latest design builds on the capacities of our recently delivered vessel Tauroa and her upcoming sister ship Tautiki, while placing further emphasis on enhancing several of the concept’s key advantages. Among other things, the vessel’s speed will be significantly increased, with a top speed of up to 18 knots. Additionally, the new vessel will be equipped with a new unloading system, which will substantially improve logistics efficiency by minimizing required time in port for both unloading and cleaning operations. The new design concept enables significantly reduced cost per kilo of slaughtered fish within the large-scale aquaculture segment.
Tauriko is the result of a close design collaboration between Napier, our client and Salt Ship Design, and similarly to Tauroa and Tautiki, the new vessel will have the capacity to load and bleed 200 tonnes of salmon per hour. The RSW tanks filled with refrigerated seawater will hold up to 750 tons of cargo, transported faster than ever before to shore.
To handle the fish on board, Tauriko will be equipped with the best available technology, delivered by our trusted partners MMC, Baader, and Optimar. The deep expertise of our employees and their familiarity with these systems, combined with our ability to implement step-by-step continuous improvements, have yet again contributed to important technological advancements in Napier’s harvest vessel concept.
The vessel will become the largest in Napier’s fleet, with a length of nearly 85 meters, taking over the legacy as the world’s largest harvest vessel of its kind. With this new addition Napier’s fleet will grow to seven vessels, and we expect to hire approximately 30 new employees when the vessel enters service against a long- term charter agreement.
The use of harvest vessels improves fish welfare, and offers significantly improved biosecurity aspects compared to traditional transport methods. With a harvest vessel, the fish is stunned and bled out immediately, reducing handling, eliminating transport stress and transport mortality before slaughter. The vessel operates completely enclosed whilst loaded, with no water exchange or blood contact with the sea. Separate loading and unloading systems prevent any contact between slaughter fish and live fish remaining at the sea farms.
Food safety is a core value at Napier. We follow recognized international standards and are regularly audited by independent third parties. This allows us to document that the fish we handle on behalf of our customers is cared for in a way that safeguards fish welfare and product quality all the way from the cage to the factory.
We are incredibly proud to announce the realization of this new vessel with Freire shipyard, and look forward to continued collaboration with all our valued stakeholders.
Illustration: Salt Ship Design
