First Of Five For Mexico From MARCO

Another step in the rapid growth of Mexico's commercial fisheries was achieved with MARCO Seattle's christening of the Pescador I. The 108-foot refrigerated sardine seiner is the first of five such vessels being built under contract with BANPESCA (Banco Nacional Pesquero y Portuario, S.A.), Mexico's government- sponsored bank dedicated to fisheries development.

Enhancement of Mexico's fisheries is part of President Jose Lopez Portillo's announced program to achieve self-sufficiency in foodstuffs for his nation.

A featured speaker for the event was Alfonso Cebreros, general director of BANPESCA, who expressed his confidence in the future of Mexico's fisheries with the help of modern vessels like the Pescador I. He was joined by his wife, Azalea Zurita de Cebreros, who was the sponsor for the boat's christening.

The Pescador I is a refined version of a MARCO design proven in a variety of international fisheries.

One of her improvements is a refrigerated seawater system designed by MARCO's Stewart Roach. The system chills six fish holds with a combined capacity of 8,500 cubic feet (240 cubic meters). The new boat's highcapacity refrigeration feature is important because it greatly improves the quality of the fish delivered to the canneries.

The 108-foot (31.5-meter) Pescador I is 28 feet 2 inches (8.5 meters) wide at the beam and has a loaded draft of 14 feet 5 inches (4.4 meters). The steel vessel has crew accommodations for 14 and a cruising speed of approximately 11 knots.

Fishing deck machinery for the Pescador I is by MARCO. The selection includes MARCO's threedrum WS252 seine winch, 35E Puretic Power Block, U880 Capsulpump, dewatering screen, purse blocks, and a variety of auxiliary winches. The hydraulic gear is powered through a MARCO DC26 Hydraulic Pump Drive (HPD) connected to the main engine with MARCO's recently introduced AirKlutch feature.

Power for the Pescador I comes from a turbocharged and aftercooled Caterpillar D398TA diesel rated at 750 bhp at 1,225 rpm. It drives a 76-inch-diameter Coolidge bronze propeller through a Caterpillar reduction/reversing gear. Auxiliary power is provided by Caterpillar and John Deere/ Northern Lights diesel generator sets.

The new boat carries a variety of electronics and other navigational aids, including a Sperry autopilot and Furuno radar, sonar, depth sounder/recorders, and radiotelephones.

The following four vessels, to be named Pescador II through V, will be completed at intervals of approximately 30 days. The boats are being built in MARCO's Ballard facility, with outfitting at the main shipyard.

Other stories from August 1981 issue

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.