“FishPilot opens for a higher degree of economisation of the fishing process, with reduced accelerations and steadier baiting. FishPilot takes control and let us focus on the important but nitty-gritty details where the operator is still the superstar onboard,” says Kjetil Holmeset, representing H. P. Holmeset AS.
There are many products developed especially for fishing vessels, like echosounders, sonars and other tools for searching, mapping, and visualising what is below the vessel in the water column. There have also been major steps in gear handling and fish processing equipment.
For fishing vessel manoeuvring, much has been the same over the last 20 years. This is in opposition to other vessel segments where operators today prefer simplified steering to focus more on all the other tasks under their responsibility.
As for Brunvoll's retractable azimuth combi thruster, we have seen a gap and a potential in the fishing vessel segment for improved manoeuvring and steering.
Our analysis reveals that BruCon FishPilot can enable
Brunvoll is now in the concluding phase of the research project SEAOPS together with DNV, SINTEF, NTNU, and H P Holmeset AS. The research project has included both theoretical studies, digital twin model building, and practical tests onboard the longliner fishing vessel Geir. Now, Brunvoll is taking the established knowhow and solutions forward into the FishPilot product.
“In a few years I think the FishPilot can take a larger part of the AutoPilot market, both for longliners and for other types of fishing vessels. I believe the future is looking bright for the FishPilot,” says Adrian Holmeset, vessel operator onboard longliner Geir.
Brunvoll has built up wider experience with autonomy solutions, ranging from dynamic positioning, independent joystick, auto-crossing for ferries, to solutions for aquaculture vessels. A next natural step for Brunvoll is fishing vessels. From a pilot project with longliners, FishPilot functionality has been expanded to support multiple fishing techniques. FishPilot functionality can be configured to suit also purse seining, Danish seining, trawling, and pot fishing.
Brunvoll experts make sure each individual customer and crew is set up with functionality which suits their vessel and operation. The chosen functionality will be aimed at operations where improvements can make a substantial difference.
