Full reconstruction of a fire-damaged factory in only six months

In April 2022 a fire broke out on board the vessel Veidar. After a dramatic rescue operation, Veidar was brought to shore with a completely destroyed factory.

They reached out to Optimar, in need of rapid reconstruction. There was no time to lose to get the crew and the vessel back out at sea.

Optimar has previously done work on the factory on board the vessel and therefore knew what the crew needed and where we could optimize the flow.

– We wanted an identical factory, but at the same time, we knew this was an opportunity to make some improvements. Our experience from the past four years has taught us a lot about how our operations flow, shipowner Sindre Johan Dyb explains.

New automation for an easier everyday life

In close cooperation, Optimar and Veidar came up with solutions to make everyday life even easier for the crew on board. The changes involved new machines from Havfront, in addition to bigger changes in the fish reception area. A whole new design was made to create a better workflow and less strain on the body and mind of the crew.

In addition, Optimar installed the Optimar Vision to sort the different fish species automatically. That way the crew doesn’t have to worry about manually sorting, which can result in human errors. As a system integrator, Optimar was also responsible for improving the overall flow in the factory. This includes the layout of every machine for better access, both when it comes to service and cleaning.

Most importantly, Optimar ensured a safe escape route. After such a dramatic experience, it is important for the crew to feel completely safe when working in the factory. 

– It has been very hectic, due to the tight timeline and the necessity of frequent decisions and clarifications in the project. The fact that the project was an insurance case also meant that it was not like a traditional project implementation. But due to good communication and planning among the involved parties, Optimar delivered the project on time, Project Manager Robert Sætre in Optimar explains.

A very promising future for the crew on board Veidar

First of January 2023, the vessel was ready for a test drive. Luckily the future of Veidar looks very promising and we look forward to following its journey.

Listen here to the story from Shipowner and Captain at Veidar, Sindre Johan Dyb. 

– Now we are going to fine-tune every inch of the factory and continue our work alongside Optimar. The technology is in constant development, so I look forward to continuing the close dialogue and cooperation with Optimar, Sindre states.

On the question if there is anything Sindre would like to add when it comes to the work Optimar has done at Veidar, he simply says “Not at all, it has simply worked well all the way through!”.