Known as NB 155 at Salthammer Båtbyggeri's shipyard in Vestnes, Norway, after being delivered to AQS yesterday, the vessel is now the AQS Æge.
Photo: Ziggi Wantuch / Salthammer Båtbyggeri / Tomra Engineering / AQS.
Norway's oldest shipyard, Salthammer Båtbyggeri, yesterday delivered the service vessel AQS Æge to AQS Rederi, the first of six hybrid workboats that the Norwegian aquaculture vessel operator has ordered from the shipbuilder as it ramps up capacity.
"The delivery of AQS Æge marks an important milestone in the continued development and strengthening of our fleet. The vessel is highly adapted to the operations we perform and provides both increased capacity and greater operational flexibility," Robert Hundstad, CEO of AQS, said.
The vessel is of the Coastern 28 eH design by Tomra Engineering, has an overall length of 28.1 meters and a beam of 12.6 meters, and, since the contract for this first delivery was signed in the fall of 2023, it has been built entirely at Salthammer's shipyard in Vestnes, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.
Specifically, the AQS Æge is a diesel-electric hybrid vessel equipped with 1,500 kW electric propulsion and a 2,000 kWh battery pack, making it one of the most powerful vessels in its segment and among those with the largest battery capacity.
Likewise, it is also equipped with accommodation for up to 12 people, an 80-ton deck winch, large cranes, and a 160 m² working deck. As both companies emphasized in their joint release, as the first vessel of the Coastern 28 eH design, the AQS Æge represents a new generation of service vessels.
"AQS Æge is a highly capable and modern service vessel built for demanding operations. It provides high operational capacity, strong flexibility, and stable day-to-day performance," Kim Aakervik, CTO of AQS, said, commenting on the delivery.
As mentioned, the AQS Æge vessel is the first new build delivered by Salthammer to AQS. It also marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration, as a sister ship is currently under construction at the shipyard, and the two companies recently signed a contract for four additional vessels, following the same design.
As AQS's CTO explained when announcing the signing of the contract for these four additional vessels, serial construction allows them greater control over technical solutions, costs, and quality, while continuing to develop solutions that ensure high safety and a good working environment. He added that, by building on ongoing projects, they can make the most of the experience gained from previous deliveries.
"It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with the shipowner and designer on this project. From the very beginning, we have worked towards a shared goal of creating this powerful vessel, which is now delivered to AQS," stated, for his part, Lasse Stokkeland, Managing Director of Salthammer Båtbyggeri.
"This vessel is the result of close cooperation between the shipowner, designer, suppliers, and our employees—a tool that the crew will live and work with for many years to come. We understand the importance of comfort, practicality, and reliability. We hope we have met expectations and wish both vessel and crew every success," he added.
The AQS Æge and the five vessels that will follow will serve to further strengthen AQS' fleet, which currently has 17 vessels, an objective that the company already announced in March of last year, when the European infrastructure fund Marguerite acquired half of AQS to support the expansion of the fleet and the long-term growth of aquaculture services in Norway.
At that time, the company explained that the funds to expand its fleet would focus particularly on new electric and hybrid vessels. Marguerite described AQS as "a pioneering operator of fully electric and hybrid vessels" and said the investment aligned with its strategy to finance the decarbonization of the maritime sector.
