New Zealand Maori-owned company RMD has accepted the first of six new fishing vessels to its fleet, according to a report from Bay of Plenty Times.
The new NZD 5 million (USD 3.6 million, EUR 3.2 million) vessel, named Santy Maria, will supply the largest Maori-owned fishing company Aotearoa Fisheries, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Sealord Group.
Coming in at 24-meters, the trawler was built by Aimex Service Group and delivered in September in Nelson. The vessel arrived in home port on 17 October after dropping off its first catch in Gisborne, New Zealand in early October.
"This is absolutely the most up-to-date new launch the New Zealand fishing industry has seen in decades," said Roger Rawlinson, a co-owner of RMD, along with his brothers Dan and Marcus.
"It's a state-of-the-art boat that's been designed around health, safety and sustainability," Rawlinson said.