On 17 February 2016 Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, was selected to provide engineering services including structural and mechanical work for the conversion of a 170ft by 40ft fishing vessel for Global Seas and Patti Marine Enterprises Inc.
The vessel, Defender, underwent significant conversion to make her the first fish pumping vessel in the Global Seas fleet.
Because the vessel was being converted from fishing work on the East Coast (herring and mackerel) to West Coast fishing (pollock), a new fish pumping system was installed on the stern and a new full forward, sheltered fish distribution room was constructed for protection during the fish sorting process.
The changes make the vessel better suited for the operations and weather of her new Alaska fishing assignment.
Structural work included a stern extension, bulbous bow with refurbishing of the thruster, whale back bow cover for the refurbished anchor windlass, an anti-roll tank, aft decks and bulwarks.
Mechanical work included rebuilding the main engines and generators, installation of new propellers, nozzles and Deflector Rudder system. And, electrical systems and wiring received substantial upgrades and reworks by the shipyard along with sandblasting, water blasting, deep cleaning, and re-coating.
Once the work was completed, a renaming ceremony took place to change the vessel from Western Venture to Defender. The vessel was then relaunched and christened and sea trials are scheduled for March, just prior to her 5,200-mile trek to Seattle, Wash., for final delivery back to Global Seas in time for B season fishing in the Bering Sea.
