The company has options for an additional six vessels. Napier will be responsible for the project management and training of crew.
Amar Shipping is a part of Amar Group. This is a Bjørn M. Apeland’s new project after his exit from Steinsvik. Amar Group owns also a share of Napier, which is the company with the most extensive experience with process vessels for salmon. Today, Napier operates one vessels, while two are under construction.
The first newbuild will be delivered ultimo 2018 and the second the summer of 2019.
With Amar Shipping, Apeland intends to build a leading ship owning company targeting the international aquaculture market, while the Norwegian market will be targeted through Napier. Amar Shipping will offer value adding solutions to customers and enable them to focus on their core business.
I addition to the contracted process vessels, Amar Shipping has three larger workboats, all equipped with significant crane capacity and intended for delousing and heavier aquaculture operations. The vessels’ trade area is worldwide, which enables the vessels to take on large operations over greater distances, as well improves security for personnel. Furthermore, the company owns and operates a feed vessel.
Common for the vessels operated by Amar Shipping is that they will be associated with Marbase, a company developing and operating supply bases in key aquaculture areas worldwide. Internationally, the aquaculture industry is based in remote areas with long transport distances, which complicates some operations. The Marbase concept provides a solution for this by establishing a strategically located cluster for the suppliers to the aquaculture industry, who can then more efficiently provide the solutions their clients require.
The first two process vessels contracted are of the type HFMV P26 and HFMV P35. The P26 design has a loading capacity of 140 tons salmon, while the P35 has a capacity of 210 tons. Amar Shipping has an option on an additional four P26, one P35 and one P43. The vessels will be delivered in three to four months intervals, with the first delivery planned ultimo 2019. All the vessels will be equipped with a brand-new blood water treatment facility which Napier has developed in cooperation with a local supplier.
“Through the ground-breaking work Napier has made we see that the new solutions for the processing and transportation of salmon brings the industry forward with respect to environment, quality and efficiency,” says Bjørn M. Apeland. “Napier has more than 10 years of experience with process vessels and is currently building two vessels especially developed and designed for this type of operation.”
“Amar Shipping sees significant benefits from contracting from a local, Norwegian shipyard such as FMV, with respect to both the quality and delivery time. By using Heimli Ship Design and FMV as shipyard, we are guaranteed top quality and proven concepts developed and built in close cooperation with Napier and Amar Shipping,” says Apeland.
In addition to the vessels, Amar Shipping will assist customers with advanced logistical solutions through ACMS, Amar Cargo Management System. The software has been developed by the sister company Amar Innotech, which specializes in advanced software and analytical tools. The software will give a high level of precision in the planning of the operation, as well as data logging for precise reporting. With «live» updates of the vessel’s stats, temperatures, fish volume and sizes and other vital date, this will provide the customers with an operational overview from the harvesting to the factory – including during land transport.
Apeland is not yet disclosing the end customers for the new tonnage, but sees a strong demand in the market.
“By now, Amar Group has obtained ISM and SMS licenses in several countries and is now ready to execute our strategy. The motivation behind this effort is to create value and new employment opportunities through the development of new technologies for the aquaculture, offshore and maritime industries.”
