Illustration: Ulstein Design & Solution.
The NOx Fund congratulates the fishing vessel "Ecofive" for being awarded Ship of the Year 2023 by the maritime magazine Skipsrevyen. Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Bjørnar Skjæran (AP) presented the award during the Nor-Shipping event in Lillestrøm, Norway. This is the first time a fishing vessel has received the award.
Since 1997, Skipsrevyen has honored Norwegian shipbuilding and design through the Ship of the Year award. This year, the prize went to Westcon Yards Ølen, responsible for the vessel's construction, Ulstein Design & Solutions, the designers, and the shipping company Bluewild in Ålesund. Bluewild has received a commitment of 25 million NOK in support from the NOx Fund through the fleet renewal program to reduce 85 tons of NOx.
"This is a prestigious award that is well-known in the market. It is therefore great that a Norwegian trawler receives this recognition, showing that Norwegian fishing vessels are world leading in adopting new and environmentally friendly technology," said Jan Ivar Maråk, Deputy CEO of Fiskebåt and Deputy Chair of the NOx Fund's board.
This is not the first time Skipsrevyen has awarded Ship of the Year to ships supported by the NOx Fund. In 2020, Skipsrevyen awarded Ro Vision, the world's first hybrid wellboat, as Ship of the Year. Rostein received support for installing battery hybridization and SCR systems and was granted approximately 13 million NOK to reduce approximately 90 tons of NOx per year.
In 2014, the award went to the ferry Ampere, built by Fjellstrand for the shipping company Norled. The ferry is still in operation and serves the Lavik - Oppedal route in the Sognefjord. The NOx Fund provided approximately 10 million NOK in support to Norled for constructing a fully electric ferry, resulting in a reduction of approximately 28 tons of NOx annually.
In 2013, the award went to the offshore vessel Seven Viking, built by Ulstein Verft for Eidesvik Offshore ASA and Subsea 7. Eidesvik received approximately 3 million NOK for installing an SCR purification system, reducing annual NOx emissions by approximately 38 tons.
In 2012, the award went to the offshore vessel Normand Solitaire (formerly Far Solitaire). They received 5.3 million NOK in support to install a SCR system, resulting in a NOx reduction of approximately 55 tons per year.
You can read more about the vessel Ecofive here: