The keel laying of the newbuilding WALTHER HERWIG at the Western Baltic Shipyard in Klaipeda, Fassmer GmbH & Co. KG marks another important milestone in the construction of one of the world’s most modern fishery research vessels. The vessel, which will be completed in 2027, combines state-of-the-art scientific equipment with pioneering sustainability technology.
The WALTHER HERWIG is being built on behalf of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), which will commission the vessel together with the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW) as the construction supervisor and the Thünen Institute as the user for the German federal government. “With the WALTHER HERWIG, we are creating a state-of-the-art research vessel that is optimally tailored to the complex requirements of our customer BLE and the Thünen Institute,” explained Jan Oskar Henkel, Managing Director of Fassmer, at the keel laying ceremony. “We are proud to implement this project together and thus contribute to the sustainable use of marine resources and the protection of marine ecosystems.”
The new ship is equipped with ten specialized laboratories, including wet laboratories, dry laboratories, fishery laboratories and a laboratory for fish processing. This extensive equipment makes the WALTHER HERWIG an indispensable tool for interdisciplinary research, which will not only monitor fish stocks, but also enable marine ecological, chemical and physical investigations.
In addition to its scientific performance, the ship is a pioneer in terms of environmental friendliness. The diesel-electric propulsion system meets the requirements of the “Blue Angel” for environmentally friendly ship design and is prepared for the use of climate-neutral methanol. In addition, the ship will receive the Silent-R classification according to DNV and has been optimized for particularly low-noise working conditions since the design phase.
The long-standing and successful partnership with Western Baltic Shipyard/BLRT Group also plays a key role in this project. The keel laying marks the tenth joint project. “The cooperation with BLRT has been characterized by mutual trust and the highest quality for years,” emphasized Henkel.
The keel laying will be followed by the production of panels and sub-assemblies as well as the assembly of the sections. The ship is built in four large blocks and extensively pre-equipped. This is followed by the installation of essential large components such as main engines, propulsion systems and traction motors. The final outfitting will take place at the Fassmer site in Berne/Motzen after the ship has been transferred to the Weser.
“Our collaboration with Western Baltic Shipyard and the BLRT Group has been defined by mutual trust and a shared commitment to high-quality shipbuilding. The WALTHER HERWIG project highlights the strength of our partnership and our ability to deliver innovative solutions for marine research,” said Jan Oskar Henkel, Managing Director at Fassmer.
“This endeavor marks important addition to our portfolio of specialized research vessels. In 2019, we delivered a fisheries and water research vessel for the Faroese Government, and in 2014, the Klaipėda University vessel ‘Mintis’ was built at our shipyard. This new project reflects our and our partners’ shared dedication to excellence in shipbuilding and innovation. Thank you to everyone involved for contributing their skills and experience,” shared Vitalij Frolov, Director at Western Baltic Shipyard.
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