Antarctic Enabler – Transformation into a mothership for Antarctic krill harvesting operations
Background
A new vessel was to be acquired to operate as a mother ship for Aker Qrill Company’s fishing operations in Antarctica and strengthen Aker QRILL’s position as a leading sustainable supplier to aquaculture and global food security.
The shipowner currently operates four fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean, harvesting Antarctic krill. The krill is processed into meal on board the fishing vessels before being transported ashore and into the global market.
The logistics required to keep such a fishing operation running in Antarctica are demanding. The shipowner therefore needed a vessel that could operate as a mother ship for the fishing vessels in the areas where they operate at any given time.
The vessel consequently needed capacity for intermediate storage of krill meal, fuel replenishment, crew changes, and other support functions. In addition, it was to serve as a mother ship for the drone operations used by the shipowner to map the most favourable krill concentrations.
This included facilities for the storage, maintenance, and operation of the shipowner’s 30-foot seagoing drones. The vessel also had to be adapted to comply with the Polar Code for operations in Antarctica.
| Vessel data | |
|---|---|
| Flag | Norway (ex. Finland) |
| Main dimensions | 159.26 x 24.88 m |
| Ice class | 1A Super |
| Fishmeal storage capacity | 9,000 MT |
| Classification society | Det Norske Veritas |
| Former name | Kallio |
What challenges were solved?
At the start of the project, the vessel was required to be ready to sail in January 2026. This allowed approximately six months from the start of the design process until the vessel was scheduled to depart for operations.
NSK Ship Design had already assessed the vessel’s suitability for the conversion. The following capacities and elements were designed:
Significant increase in fuel capacity and establishment of ship-to-ship bunkering
Installation of several new cabins
Establishment of a drone hangar
Polar Code adaptation
New waste-handling system
Conversion and modernisation of the sewage system and treatment plant
Scope of Delivery
NSK Ship Design delivered the following:
Concept design and documentation for shipyard pricing
Basic design
Result
Through close and effective cooperation with the shipowner and Norse Shipyard, the vessel was completed according to plan and sailed to Antarctica for operations in January 2026.