Tested at sea: Automated shrimp compaction on Nordtind
A new piece of equipment is the source of many happy faces onboard the Norwegian Lerøy Havfisk vessel Nordtind. The Product Compactor for automated compaction of shrimp has been installed on the vertical plate freezers in the factory.
Nordtind is one of the Norwegian vessels currently testing the new equipment. What was once a tough, manual task is now handled by the automated machine.
“This is the second trip where the machine is being used. After testing the compactor in regular shrimp production, we are very satisfied with how it works”, says Alf Arne Hansen, Factory Manager on Nordtind.
A significant freezer upgrade: Less waste – uniform blocks
The product compactor has been fitted onto the existing V16 vertical plate freezers onboard. This upgrade means a higher degree of automation. Once the freezers are filled with shrimp, the Product Compactor handles the compaction of the shrimp in the onboard vertical plate freezers.
Alf Arne Hansen explains: “We set the pressure the machine should apply, and then it does the job. All finished blocks are the same weight, and it is also easier to empty freezers when using the Product Compactor."
"In addition, we see reduced waste as not many shrimps get crushed during compaction, and no shrimp fall off the blocks when emptying the freezer.”
The combination of the V16 plate freezers and the Product Compactor means that it now only requires one operator to fill the freezer. This allows the crew to handle other tasks while the equipment handles the heavy work.
Happy, smiling fishermen operate the compactor
The new addition to the factory eliminates a tough and repetitive task for the crew, and the improved working environment is very important for Alf Arne Hansen: “Before, we had to manually press the shrimp. It was a heavy and demanding job to fill the freezers. This new machine is a great help for the person who is going to fill the freezer.”
The manual process of pressing the blocks meant climbing on top of the freezers and applying manual force to each block. This repetitive and tough task in the confined space is now eliminated on Nordtind to the great satisfaction of the crew: “Now I only have smiling and happy fishermen, and everyone wants to fill the freezers,” Alf Arne Hansen concludes.
Learn more about the Product Compactor for Vertical Plate Freezers: https://carsoe.com/seafood-processing-equipment/product-compactor-cs3026/
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