Canada’s Largest Fishing Vessel to be equipped with Carsoe processing factory

State-of-the-art factory trawlers are being built across the world. This time, the Canadian fishing fleet welcomes a new vessel with a complete processing line for shrimp and halibut.

Baffin Fisheries has chosen the world-leading supplier of seafood processing equipment, Carsoe, as their factory partner.

Baffin Fisheries - Carsoe Onboard Factory

The best Shrimp and Halibut trawler in the World

The goal is clear for Baffin Fisheries. They aim to build a world-leading factory freezer trawler for shrimp and halibut. The vessel is expected to be the largest Canadian-owned fishing vessel with a length of 80 m and a beam of 18 m. The cargo capacity is around 1320 tons of frozen-at-sea Greenland Halibut (turbot) or around 930 tons of shrimps.

In other words, the foundation for a state-of-the-art trawler has been laid. And the automatic processing solutions on the factory deck is a key element to the success of the trawler.

This vessel deserves a first-class onboard factory, and we are very happy to be chosen as the processing partner. The factory is designed to ensure high yield, automated process and easy handling.

- Jeppe Christensen, Group Sales Director at Carsoe.

Turnkey Onboard Processing

On the factory deck of the ship, you will find a complete Carsoe processing factory, including automated bycatch separation, shrimp grader and a batch cooking line. The processed shrimp can be frozen in one of the three IQF tunnel freezers or in the two Automatic Horizontal Freezers. Regardless, the freezing process is completely automatic for efficient and continuous processing.

Once the catch is processed and frozen, the packing section of the factory is fitted with 2 robotic hotels for sorting of product. The pallets are equipped with layered wrapping for safe storage at sea and labeled before the completed pallet it is sent to the cargo hold. To maximize the utilization of the compact factory deck, a hybrid palletizing solution with an integrated elevator is installed. This means that the pallets are transported directly from palletizing into the cargo hold.

The automated flow in the processing plant means less heavy lifting and a better working environment for the crew.

Carsoe was chosen after a very competitive bidding process and consultation with our captains, vessel crew, and the shipyard, which has worked with Carsoe many times in the past. We are very pleased with the selection and look forward to working with Carsoe as a true partner throughout the build process, and into operations.

- Chris Flanagan, CEO Baffin Fisheries

Service and Maintenance from Carsoe

Carsoe has worked with Baffin Fisheries for many years and have handled several services, maintenance, and rebuild jobs on their two existing freezing trawlers Sivilluq and Inuksuk. This long-term relationship has now led to a contract for a complete factory onboard the newest addition to the Baffin fleet.

At Baffin Fisheries, we have benefited well from Carsoe service over the past several years with Inuksuk l & Sivilluq on major factory upgrades & general refit factory maintenance. We have benefited from Carsoe’s pre-engineered solutions, efficient and effective implementation, pre-set cost budgets, productive workdays by experienced technicians - all followed up with great parts supply & shipping, when operations are in full swing.

- Jason Dunphy, Fleet Manager, Baffin Fisheries

About Baffin Fisheries

Based in Iqaluit, Nunavut on Baffin Island, Baffin Fisheries is a 100% Inuit-owned fishing company and has been operating for 20 years. Today the Company is the leading commercial fishing enterprise in Northern Canada, harvesting more than 10,000 tons of Greenland Halibut (turbot) and cold-water shrimp annually.

Baffin Fisheries owns 100% of its fleet of three (soon to be four) factory fishing vessels, including two large factory freezer multi-species trawlers and one factory freezer fixed gear vessel.