On Friday, August 21. 2020, the newbuilding of IceTrawl A/S was launched to the water on the yard Astilleros de Murueta in Bilbao, Spain. The vessel, which will bear the name Nataarnaq, will be completed in the summer of 2021, and will replace the prawn trawler of the same name in the Greenlandic fishery.
Royal Greenland is part of the ownership group of the company IceTrawl A/S with a shareholding of 50% while 30 private investors together own the remaining 50%. Furthermore, Royal Greenland is responsible for the daily operation as well as the practicalities during the construction.
In contrast to previous launches, due to covid-19 travel restrictions, only a few people from Royal Greenland and IceTrawl A/S were present. Technical Manager Brian Thrysøe had, however, taken the trip to Spain and says “Even though it was the third time in just 1.5 years, it was just as great a joy to see the ship glide in the water for the first time”.
Nataarnaq is the third factory trawler delivered by the Spanish shipyard to Royal Greenland’s operations. At the beginning of the year, the combination trawler M/tr Avataq entered into the Greenlandic fishery, and in the summer of 2019 it was, as the first ship, the fishing trawler M/tr Sisimiut. The first two trawlers are well underway in their respective fishing areas and are showing good results.
“We are very satisfied with our first two ships from Astilleros de Murueta, so it naturally creates great expectations that the third ship will also create good value for the owners from the start,” says Lars Nielsen, EVP, Production.
He explains that M/tr Nataarnaq is based on the experience from the two Royal Greenland ships and will, like M/tr Avataq, be 82.3 meters long and 18 meters wide. The loading capacity will be as much as 2950 m3, which will allow for longer fishing trips with full focus on fishing, and port calls with unloading will be possible in less than 24 hours. With room for 30 crew members in single-person chambers, good common areas, exercise rooms and other facilities, the ship also fulfills the goal of being a modern workplace and comfortable free space at sea.
“The cooperation between the other shareholders, crew and staff on land has worked really well, and it makes me proud that we can again say that it will be a ship that is precisely adapted to the task that it will solve for many years to come.” he concludes.
