MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' fleet will have a new trawler freezer by the end of 2020

The new vessel will replicate much of “Monteferro”, but with improvements in haul and freezer capacities and a more potent engine

Galicia's Rampesca and the Falkland Islands RBC have ordered a new 63.7 meters long and 1.500 gross tonnage freezer trawler from Nodosa Shipyard, according to shipbuilding sources in Vigo. The new vessel is expected to replace the “Castelao”, and construction will begin this January. It will replicate much of the recently delivered “Monteferro”.

However the vessel which is scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2020 will have greater storage and freezing capacity than “Monteferro” as well as a more potent engine and a similar innovation, an Ulstein X Bow, allegedly because of the “good results” operating in Falklands' waters.

The contract was signed between Nodosa Shipyard and Ferralemes Ltd, made up of Rampesca and RBC. Rampesca is seen as a pioneer company in the renewal of Galicia's trawlers fleet which operates both in the South and North Atlantic.

Nodosa is also going through an exciting and busy period with a full order of trawlers, six, of which one “Isla de Terranova” for Pesca Baqueiro to operate in the North Atlantic, three for a Dutch company Osprey and a fifth for the German firm Kutterfisch. There is also a project for a special vessel to be developed for the mussel farming industry.

Last October, the state of the art “Monteferro” freezer trawler was delivered in Galicia to Kalamar Ltd., a joint company of Falklands and Galician partners.