The new tuna vessel Belle Rive is sixth in the company’s ever growing purser fleet, and has recently also been joined by yet another identical ship, Belle Isle.
The christening ceremony for the Belle Isle took place on November 28 at the Nha Be site in Ho Chi Minh City. Sapmer’s previous five vessels came from Vietnam – with the original one constructed in the Chanters Pirou yard in France.
Like her predecessors, Belle Rive catches tuna and pre freezes them in brine, initially at -18C to -20C (for 24 hours) and then down as low as -40C at sea, thus ensuring the fish are kept at the highest standard of quality without any loss of consistency or grade.
Belle Rive has already completed her maiden 8-week working trip and with all reported to be going well for skipper Dennis le Rolland and his 33-man crew, the focus now turns on the new processing plant.
