China will use bigger ships for next fish farm conversions
A Chinese company that repurposed a 225-metre former bulk carrier into an ocean-going fish farm is planning to convert much bigger vessels, reports global shipping news website TradeWinds.
Senhai Muge (Zhejiang) Marine Technology used a 1996-built “panamax” bulk carrier for the first project, and now intends to convert three “capesize” bulk carriers in aquaculture units.
As the names suggest, panamax carriers are optimised for the maximum size limits of the Panama Canal that links the Pacific and Atlantic oceans but capesize carriers are too big for that passage and must instead round Cape Horn, Chile.
A panamax bulk carrier typically has between 60,000 and 80,000 tonnes of deadweight capacity, whereas a capesize typically exceeds 150,000 tonnes, with some reaching 400,000 tonnes.
New hull openings
The panamax carrier, now called Zhe Dai Yu Yang 60001, can accommodate 30 personnel and move 80,000 tonnes of seawater between its tanks and the sea. It is expected to harvest 2,280 to 2,800 tonnes of fish per year, including salmon.
TradeWinds quoted Chinese state website Global News as reporting that the vessel was retrofitted with seven aquaculture chambers after modifying its cargo hatches, and new hull openings were created to ensure buoyancy. Fish Farming Expert understands that the openings mitigate against water movement in the tanks causing a sudden weight shift that could destabilise the vessel.
Although China has constructed fish farms in ships before, the vessels have been purpose built rather than conversions of existing ships.
According to TradeWinds, it has been estimated that more than 1,500 old ships could be repurposed in China for other industries. It adds that the transformation of the panamax vessel highlights a cost-effective way of creating a new aquaculture fleet.
