NEW DESIGNS Super trawler to harvest krill


AN advanced fishing vessel will enable Aker Biomarine to increase the volume of krill it harvests in the Arctic significantly, writes David Foxwell


T


owards the end of 2006, Aker BioMarine and Aker Yards in Norway announced that


they had agreed an option to build a highly specialised vessel, designed to harvest and process krill for the production of krill oil. The value of the contract for the vessel, which


is due to be delivered in November 2009, is approximately US$170 million (including onboard processing and extraction equipment). With a length overall of 144m, and breadth of


27m, the massive trawler is based on a design from Skipsteknisk in Ålesund, Norway, and will be built by Aker Yards’ Søviknes shipyard. The order for the advanced fishing vessel,


which was expected to be confirmed by the end of February, will enable Aker Biomarine to increase the volume of krill it harvests in the Arctic significantly, and produce large quantities of krill meal and oil onboard. Aker is the first company to produce high


quality krill based products on an industrial scale to capitalise on the potential of krill in the aquaculture and human nutrition industries. Production of high-value krill oil in the first


full year of operation of the vessel is projected at approximately 1200tonnes, and over the next two years, annual production will gradually increase to more than double that volume. ‘The targeting of krill will change the


make-up and direction of Aker BioMarine’s activities,’ said Helge Midttun, Aker BioMarine president. ‘For many years, vessel operations and the development of innovative harvesting methods have been the company’s focus. Tomorrow’s Aker BioMarine will produce valuable, advanced bioactive ingredients derived from marine fauna, for additives to pharmaceuticals, foods, and specialised feed for fish farming.’ Aker recently completed a major refurbishment


of another of its vessels, Saga Sea, equipping it for Krill based products. With two vessels in operation, Aker BioMarine will harvest about 200,000tonnes of krill annually.


Aker BioMarine’s planned krill harvesting vessel will be among the largest, most technically sophisticated, and expensive fishing vessels ever built.


Traditional marine lipid extraction processes


are based on significant thermal exposure of the krill material, dramatically reducing the therapeutic effects by reducing the bio-activity of the components. However, working in partnership with Alfa Laval, Krill A/S has recently developed and patented a novel onboard extraction process with low levels of thermal exposure. Tests show that the indicated thrombosis-related


therapeutic properties of krill oil can only be achieved with fresh krill raw material – which will be made possible with Aker’s ‘Eco Harvesting’ technology, and Krill A/S’ extraction process, in respect of which patent application has recently been filed (Alfa Laval was recently awarded a turnkey contract for the delivery of the pharma- grade process plant to be installed on-board the Saga Sea for the 2007 season). Ever since the great abundance of krill became


apparent there has been speculation that it might form a suitable target for a fishery. The catch of krill gradually increased during


the late 1970s as the fishery moved from its experimental phase reaching a peak in 1982 when 528,201tonnes were harvested, 93% of which was taken by the Soviet Union. The current catch is approximately 100,000tonnes. Aker’s Eco Harvesting technology prevents


the krill from enzymatic degradation and contamination from birds. No harmful bacteria such as salmonella have been detected. Volatile


BRIGHT NEW


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Jülicher Straße 495, D-52070 Aachen Tel. +49 (0) 241 9667400 Fax +49 (0) 241 9667320 E-mail: marine@saint-gobain.com Web: www.saint-gobain-marine.com


THE NAVAL ARCHITECT FEBRUARY 2007 11


nitrogen is at a very low level and biogenic amines, compounds like cadaverin and histamine typically found in fish meal as a result of bacterial degradation are below levels of detection in our krill meal. Harvesting krill in a commercially viable and


environmentally sound way is challenging because traditional trawling methods where the catch is hauled up on deck and emptied into holding tanks before processing is unsuitable, as the krill contains highly digestive enzymes and basically self-destructs before it can be processed. The Eco Harvesting continuous trawling system


allows the net to stay underwater during the entire operation. Instead of heaving a trawl to get the catch on board, a conveyor hose is attached to the net. The krill is filtered at the end of the trawl and flows upwards in a flexible hose, with air injection creating the upward lift. The equipment stays underwater while a continuous stream of water flows through the hose, bringing the krill live and fresh directly into the ship, which allows for processing of fresh raw material with superior product quality. The new harvesting equipment provides control


over the amount and timing of bringing catches onboard as it can synchronise the pace at which the catch is brought onboard with production capacity. The system also reduces net retrieval to once a day – rather than ten to 15 times a day for conventional krill fishing – thus reducing unwanted by-catch, such as seals.


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