Stability of Fishing Vessels. The Fine Line Between Safety and Commercial Considerations

By
FINSA reporter
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The MFV Laverne is one of the fleet of factory freezer trawlers acquired by Sea Harvest when it took over Viking Fishing. On the night of 5 October 2010, having just returned from her second voyage for Viking and heavily laden with 80 to 100 tons of fish, she sank at her V&A moorings in Cape Town. The vessel – now 43 years old – had shortly before undergone a major refit. She was refloated and eventually recommissioned.

“Water can both float and sink a ship”.  (Ancient Chinese proverb). A literal reading of this proverb summarises one of the central dilemmas faced by Naval Architects through the ages. Added to this is the eternal conflict between commercial interests and safety. This has been highlighted recently by the numerous incidents locally and internationally, that have caused fishing vessels to sink. This article talks about the basics of ship stability.

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