A Mull-based, family-owned company has successfully acquired its first wellboat to supply services to the Scottish salmon sector.
The vessel, purchased by Inverlussa Marine Services on June 3, 2024, spent the following weeks in dry dock at Aas Mek Shipyard in Norway, where it was originally built.
During this time, several upgrades and modifications were made, including the enhancement of onboard systems, the addition of extra crew cabins, the installation of a collapsible mast, and a complete paint job to adopt Inverlussa’s colors.
The former Sølvtrans-owned vessel, now named ‘Isaac McKinnon’, in honor of Managing Director Ben Wilson’s grandfather, has a length of 57 meters and a well capacity of 1,050 cubic meters, increasing the company’s fleet to 22 vessels.
The vessel is contracted to Mowi Scotland, which needs wellboats with a shallow draft to transport fish to and from its newly established post-smolt operation in Loch Etive.
Ben Wilson, Inverlussa’s Managing Director, commented, “This is a very exciting time for the company. Despite it being a natural progression from our current operations, it is still a big step forward for us. We want to be a leading supplier to salmon producers in Scotland, and to achieve this we must keep driving forward. We hope to bring our style of customer service and value for money that has proved to be a successful model in the workboat market and take it into the wellboat sector. In addition, we have recruited an experienced team of crew who will be key in delivering a high level of service.”
Wilson added, “We have been very busy in the background to build the strong foundations and company structure that is required. This has involved upgrading the company management systems, shoreside support, and certification as well as gaining our ISM accreditations. We are delighted to have secured a contract with Mowi Scotland for this vessel. This opportunity marks a significant step in our ongoing relationship with Mowi, and we are eager to continue building on our long-term partnership.”
Inverlussa joins a very small number of UK-based wellboat operators. They have already recruited experienced crew into key roles and upskilled some of their current workforce. Looking to the future, they also plan to attract new talent into the industry via their recently announced Cadetship programme.
Fraser McKenzie, Inverlussa’s Crew Co-ordinator, commented, “Our progression to this size of ship allows us to offer cadetships to help attract and retain young talented individuals into the merchant navy fleet with the specific skills required in the aquaculture sector.”
Sean Anderson, Mowi’s Production Director, added, “We are pleased to see a Scottish company invest in its fleet to help supply the aquaculture sector with bespoke vessels well suited for the business and that complement our post-smolt strategy in Loch Etive. We are also looking forward to seeing the positive results that stem from Inverlussa’s skills development programme as a result of our continued business relationship.”
