[By: Damen]
Sustainable fish farm company Kames, operating in the lochs and estuaries round the Western Isles in Scottish Sea, has taken delivery of the Damen LUV 2208 to improve waterborne operations at their steelhead trout farm. The robust vessel offers an ideal platform for demanding aquaculture operations.
The Damen LUV 2208 (Landing Utility Vessel) offers large deck space, a heavy crane and two capstans to handle lines and nets at the farm. The boat is optimised for aquaculture jobs thanks to the deck lay-out with the bridge and accommodation situated at the side of the deck, leaving more open deck space and unobstructed length from bow to stern for large loads. High deadweight of the vessel adds to its buoyancy while operating the crane. A ramp at the bow offers the possibility of beaching and opening the front to load or offload large items directly from the deck. The bottom plate and the bow ramp are constructed from extra strong steel plates to withstand beaching and landings in touch conditions. Fendering is very tough. Thick rubber bands are mounted to the hull sides, to decrease impacts from other boats, quays or floating farm equipment. This mounted fendering offers better protection than the usual car tyres hanging alongside the hull. Crew safety is improved by high bulwarks and robust stairways overboard for getting on and off smaller boats during the work around the farm.
Kames are excited to start working with the new vessel early April. The Damen LUV 2208 was built at the Coastal Workboats yard in Exeter. Damen Shipyards works in close co-operation with the British yard. The Kames boat is the second of this type that was built, a third LUV 2208 is under construction. The first one was delivered to Organic Sea Harvest from the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Sea, a sustainable salmon farm. It is reassuring to see that sea based farmers that work with respect for nature and the marine environment, choose Damen. The shipbuilding group is confident that this type of vessel is what aquaculture needs. In addition to the vessels ready built and under construction, four more LUV 2208’s are being built. Damen will be able to deliver from stock.
