Belgian family fishing company Rederij Long Ships has contracted Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam, the company’s unit mainly focused on building fishing vessels, to build a new 38-m long beam trawler.

The vessel will be a new Maaskant design - the BT3808 - that the shipyard has modified to realise a 12 per cent increase in bollard pull used during trawling, said a statement from the company.

Damen Maaskant has designed the new vessel, Z91 Franson, within the maximum length and gross tonnage permitted by the Belgian Maritime Inspectorate, it said.

Furthermore, the shipyard has carried out research with propeller developers and manufacturers SIP Marine with the aim to realise fuel consumption reductions in relation to current hull forms working in the Belgian fishing fleet, it added.

Eddie Cattoor, owner, Rederij Long Ships, said: “We had been looking forward to a new vessel for some time. And now the time is ripe. Fish prices and quotas are satisfactory, the oil price is reasonable and our current vessel is ready for replacement. In short, a good time to invest.”

“We have complete confidence in Maaskant and expect them to build a perfect vessel for us,” he added.

Jeroen van den Berg, commercial manager, Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam, said: “We are honoured with the trust placed in us by the Cattoor family. With this new vessel, their company and its successors are ready for the future.” – TradeArabia News Service