High-Tech Upgrade Transforms Cold Water Prawn Processing at Sea

Editor/Mohamed Shihab

Innovative onboard system boosts efficiency and delivers retail-ready Pandalus borealis products directly from fishing vessels.New onboard “Japan Line” doubles capacity and delivers retail-ready Pandalus borealis products directly from vessels.

A new wave of onboard processing technology is reshaping the seafood industry, focusing on the high-value cold water prawn (Pandalus borealis). Fishing operators are increasingly adopting advanced systems that allow vessels to process, pack, and freeze their catch entirely at sea—eliminating the need for additional land-based handling.

At the center of this shift is the Semi-Automatic Japan Line, a solution engineered to convert freshly caught prawns into 1 kg retail-ready packages, fully sealed and ready for shipment immediately after processing.

Doubling efficiency onboard

One of the most significant advantages of the system is its impact on production capacity and efficiency.

The Japan Line enables highly efficient weighing of prawns, handling up to 20 portions per minute—a rate that effectively delivers twice the capacity of a traditional manual processing line. This increase allows operators to maximize throughput while maintaining consistent portion accuracy.

In addition, the system eliminates the need for further processing once the product leaves the vessel. Each package is fully prepared for retail distribution, reducing handling time, lowering operational costs, and simplifying logistics.

Automation from catch to final product

The Japan Line integrates seamlessly into existing onboard factories, creating a fully automated workflow that includes weighing, packing, sealing, and freezing. This streamlined process ensures optimal use of onboard space while enhancing production consistency.

At the core of the system is a custom-built Automatic Plate Freezer, designed to rapidly freeze the packaged prawns while preserving freshness, texture, and quality. Built with a stainless steel frame and cylinder, the freezer is engineered for durability in harsh marine environments.

Additional onboard technologies often include Automatic By-Catch Separation, prawn grading systems, continuous cooking lines, and IQF Tunnel Freezers, each capable of processing up to 25 tons per day.

Case study: Kaassassuk (Akamalik)

A leading example of this innovation is the vessel Kaassassuk (Akamalik), scheduled for delivery in Q1 2025 and set to operate in the waters of Greenland by Royal Greenland Group.

The vessel is equipped with a comprehensive onboard processing factory dedicated to cold water prawns, featuring:

3 robotic palletizing systems

A Semi-Automatic Japan Line

An Automatic Horizontal Plate Freezer

A masterpack packaging line

Its four IQF tunnel freezers, each with a capacity of 25 tons per day, significantly boost processing efficiency.

The vessel’s three palletizing robots create an overlapping workflow that ensures uninterrupted production—even if one unit fails—providing resilience and operational stability.

Partnership driving innovation

The technology behind these advancements is the result of a collaboration between Royal Greenland and Carsoe, a partnership spanning more than four years. Together, they have developed onboard processing systems for vessels such as Sisimiut, Avataq, Nataarnaq, and Tuugalik.

A key milestone was reached in November 2023, when a successful Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) was completed for the semi-automatic plate freezer line installed on Akamalik

rederik Voetmann Nielsen, Chief Engineer at Royal Greenland, commented:

"Carsoes systems is evident that they've continued to evolve, and most importantly, they've transformed a substantial portion of our feedback into reality. This is very positive for us."

A new era for onboard value creation

The adoption of systems like the Japan Line highlights a broader shift toward onboard value creation in the seafood industry. By processing cold water prawns (Pandalus borealis) directly at sea, vessels can deliver premium, retail-ready products faster and more efficiently.

With increased capacity, automated workflows, and no need for further processing, this technology is setting a new benchmark for efficiency and profitability in modern fisheries.