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The ROS-171 “Maartje Theadora” (Photomontage)
Parlevliet & Van der Plas Saves on Fuel with SkySails
(NETHERLANDS, 3/29/2010)
Parlevliet & Van der Plas has successfully placed into operation the SkySails-System aboard to one of its largest fishing vessels, the ROS-171 “Maartje Theadora”, on the North Sea earlier this month. The innovative SkySails wind-propulsion system will from now on help save fuel and emissions.
“As one of Europe’s biggest fishing companies, we consider it an important duty to not only promote sustainable fishing, but to take a leading role in
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| Technical director Stephan Brabeck |
making it a reality. For us, sustainable in this context means acting in a manner that makes both good economic and ecological sense. And so, by combining our MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified pelagic shoal fishery with the innovative SkySails propulsion system, we intend to realize major savings in fuel and costs, while at the same time significantly reducing the adverse effects on the environment caused by harmful emissions – first by employing the system during those long transfer runs and then, looking to the future, during direct fishing operations,” said Dr. Uwe Richter, the Managing Director of Westbank Hochseefischerei GmbH, which belongs to the Parlevliet & Van der Plas B.V. Group.
“Because operating conditions on a fishing vessel differ greatly from those of a commercial cargo ship, especially during trawling operations, our key focus during this phase of trials will be on technically adapting the system to the circumstances specific to fishing operations,” explains Stephan Brabeck, the Technical Managing Director of SkySails. “Working hand in hand with our customer Parlevliet & Van der Plas, we will be further enhancing and developing the technology in practice, and in turn devising a wind propulsion system that is optimized for use on fishing vessels.”
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| The ROS-171 “Maartje Theadora" |
The ROS-171 “Maartje Theadora” sails under the flag of Germany, the vessel is 141 meters long and its main propulsion consists of two MaK engines that produce a total of 8,640 kW of power. A 160m² SkySails towing-kite propulsion system works to relieve the ship’s main engine. The maiden voyage of the ROS-171 “Maartje Theadora” with SkySails propulsion, which will take the ship across the Atlantic to South America and then into the South Pacific, heralds the use of regenerative energy sources in deep-sea fishing.
About Parlevliet & Van der Plas B.V.
Parlevliet & Van der Plas B.V. was originally established as a trading company in Netherlands in 1949. Today, 60 years after its founding, the business has expanded to become one of Europe's largest companies in the international commercial fishing and processing industry.
The establishment in 1986 of the wholly owned subsidiary Doggerbank Seefischerei GmbH marked the launch of the Dutch group's extraordinary business growth and involvement in the fishing industry in Germany. Today the cities of Bremerhaven and Sassnitz are the headquarters of 12 subsidiaries that include a fleet of 6 deep-sea trawlers, Europe's most modern fish processing centre, the company Euro Baltic Fischverarbeitungs GmbH that processes an annual volume of 50,000 tons of herring, a trading company to handle the global marketing of products from the processing centre and the group's own catches, two cold storage facilities and a brokerage office. The group also operates subsidiaries in Germany, Lithuania and the United Kingdom.
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| Parlevliet & Van der Plas Helen Mary and Tronderbas fishing vessels |
Parlevliet & Van der Plas covers the entire range of commercial fishing products and services, from catch to delivery. One of its major corporate strategy objectives is the development and implementation of measures to ensure a set of sustainable fishing policies in Europe and, for several years already, in the Pacific region. It was with this in mind that Parlevliet & Van der Plas joined with other European fishing companies to establish the Pelagic Freezer Trawler Association. The association has published a policy paper that addresses such key issues as over-fishing, discards, the environment, fishing laws and rights, product quality and employment policies.
About SkySails GmbH & Co. KG
SkySails develops, manufactures and markets an internationally patented wind propulsion system for ships based on large towing kites. Depending on wind conditions, a ship's annual average fuel costs can be reduced by 10 percent to 35 percent using the SkySails-System. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can be reduced at times by up to 50 percent. The SkySails-System can be installed as an auxiliary wind propulsion system on virtually all existing ships and new buildings. Even fishing trawlers and superyachts of over 30 meters in length can be fitted with SkySails propulsion.
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| Depending on wind conditions, a ship's annual average fuel costs can be reduced by 10 percent to 35 percent using the SkySails-System |
SkySails was founded in 2001 and currently has 79 employees. Lead investors are the renowned ship financing company Jan Luiken Oltmann Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG based in Leer and the highly respected marine engine supplier Zeppelin Power Systems GmbH & Co. KG. Furthermore and besides private investors, the group of SkySails investors also includes numerous notable shipping companies such as Triton Seatrade, Reederei Wessels, Reederei Jungerhans, Briese Schiffahrt, and Reederei Opielok.
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Margaret E.L. Stacey
Information of the company:
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Address:
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Kotterkade 4
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City:
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IJmuiden
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State/ZIP:
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(1976 BX)
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Country:
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Netherlands
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Phone:
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+31 255 546 546
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Fax:
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+31 789 00 20
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E-Mail:
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[email protected]
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