THREE-YEAR-OLD NOAH HELPS LAUNCH LATEST ADDITION TO BAKKAFROST SCOTLAND FLEET

Three-year-old Noah helps launch latest addition to Bakkafrost Scotland fleet. Bakkafrost Scotland has marked another milestone in its sustainability journey with the launch of a new multimillion pound catamaran, Bradan an Eòlais at the naming ceremony held at MacDuff Shipyards in Aberdeenshire.

The 18.5m vessel, whose name translates from Gaelic as ‘The Salmon of Knowledge’, will soon join Bakkafrost Scotland’s fleet, supporting larger wellboats across the west coast and islands of Scotland.

Designed to enhance animal welfare and environmental stewardship, Bradan an Eòlais will play a vital role in preparing pens for freshwater bathing and maintaining the health of farmed salmon.

Managing Director Ian Laister, who attended the launch, said:

“The addition of Bradan an Eòlais to our fleet underlines our commitment to becoming the most sustainable salmon producer in Scotland. It will play a key role in supporting the health of our salmon and helping protect the natural environment in which we work.

“Bakkafrost Scotland is also committed to supporting local businesses in Scotland, and the Bradan an Eòlais is the third vessel ordered from the Macduff yard, demonstrating our backing of its capabilities and the 250 skilled workers employed. Another vessel has been ordered and is due to be delivered next year, bringing our investment with them to over £11million.”

The workboat has been named after a legendary salmon from Celtic folklore said to grant complete knowledge to those who taste it.

It was chosen by Noah Anderson and dad Billy Anderson, who is manager of Bakkafrost Scotland’s site at Plocropol on the Isle of Harris.

They travelled to Macduff along with Noah’s mum Janice Ann for the naming ceremony of the new vessel.

Billy said:

“Noah just celebrated his third birthday, and I’m not sure anyone that young has had the honour of naming a boat. Bakkafrost Scotland had an internal competition to come up with a name, and my wife who is a fluent Gaelic speaker suggested a few options. We opted for Bradan an Eòlais as it is a myth we are all familiar with and it’s wonderful to see Gaelic heritage celebrated in this way. It was a fantastic day out and something we will remember for a very long time.”

The Bradan an Eòlais’s catamaran design was selected to provide a stable platform for working in challenging conditions. It comes complete with two heavy lifting cranes and is able to carry 70 tons of deck cargo.

John Watt, Managing Director at Macduff Shipyards, said:

“It is fantastic to hand over another vessel to Bakkafrost Scotland. We have established a great working relationship, and it is excellent to see orders from the sector being placed in Scotland, which supports local jobs and in turn the community where we are based.”