Mull company takes up ownership of new vessel
MULL-BASED Inverlussa Marine Services, has taken delivery of a second new vessel, the Kiera Fiona, this year from Norway.
The first vessel, the Gina Mary, was delivered in May this year.
These aquaculture support vessels, costing just under £8 million, designed by Macduff Ship Design in Aberdeenshire and built by Havyard Ship Technology in Norway, increase the Inverlussa Marine Services fleet to 11 vessels.
Following years of experience operating in this area, each ship was uniquely designed for the aquaculture market to the meet the ever-changing technology within the sector and to anticipate future demand.
Both these vessels will be operating on contracts for Marine Harvest Scotland, supporting the 49 sites owned and worked by the world’s largest producer of farmed salmon. Their main duties will be to assist with fish treatments and general site work activities.
Ben Wilson, managing director, said: ‘When we made the significant investment in these ships, we had no contracts for them to fulfil. However, it was an important time for us to invest in a growing sector and shows our confidence in fish farming in Scotland. We are delighted to be working with Marine Harvest.
‘Fish farming continues to be a success story in Scotland, but there are a number of challenges in modern fish farming. As providers of services in this sector, we need to keep pushing ahead otherwise we will be left behind.
‘Being a family business, we have always been focused heavily in re-investing, whether in our crew or the vessels.
These two new ships will enable us to steer through any future changes and developments in this sector.’
This is the first time that Inverlussa Marine Service has used shipbuilders outside Scotland.