The hull of the new Scottish pelagic trawler Sunbeam has arrived at Myklebust Verft in Gursken after a 104-day tow from Vietnam.
The vessel will now be fitted out in Norway, but the delivery deadline is unlikely to be met. Industry sources say the ship may not be ready until well into next year.
A major newbuild for the Fraserburgh fleet
The vessel is being built for Sunbeam Fishing Ltd. of Fraserburgh. The family-owned company is regarded as one of the most experienced players in Scotland’s pelagic sector.
The new Sunbeam replaces a 56-metre trawler from 1999. The new vessel is 73 metres long and 15.6 metres wide.
The hull was launched at Ba Son Shipyard in Vietnam on 11 July, before the long tow to Norway began. The journey drew media attention during a stop near the Canary Islands in October. The arrival in Gursken took place five days ago.
Advanced equipment to follow
The completed ship will carry a controllable pitch propeller system from Brunvoll and modern trawl handling equipment from Evotec.
The wheelhouse will be fitted with advanced SIMRAD sonar and catch monitoring systems from Echomaster Marine. The Sunbeam will accommodate up to 18 crew members.
Myklebust Verft now faces a tight schedule. With only weeks left of the year, the original plan to hand over the vessel by the New Year looks unlikely.
The remaining work is extensive, and industry insiders suggest that delivery could be delayed into the second half of next year.