Established 100 years ago, in 1902, by the grandfather of today's president, Etsuji Watanabe, the company, incorporated in 1948, remains very much a family business today. Small ships of 500 tons and less have been built and repaired in the yard for three generations. Today, the yard employs a highly qualified staff of 31 professionals competent in design and construction, with a workforce of 54 workers, and employing the services and expertise of a further 20 subcontractors.
In 1993 the company established its 1,200 GT semi dry-dock with a weatherproof, state-of-the-art, domed mobile roof at the yard at Doinokubi- machi, and at the same time completed an internal hull shop, and an exclusive shipbuilding facility for the production of domestic vessels.
Taiyo A&F confidently placed its order for 'Taiyou Mam No.21' to join its fleet of purse seiners currently fishing the waters off Japan and into the North Pacific for skipjack tuna, as well as mackerel, horse mackerel, sardines and yellowtail. Taiyo A&F was happy with the design and construction of Watanabe Shipbuilding and the present vessel was duly delivered on time and is now fishing.
With an overall length of 47.17 metres, and a waterline length of 37.71 metres, the vessel has a streamlined appearance with a markedly flared bow. lts steel hull has an 8.1 metre beam and a depth of 3.3 metres. The Niigata 6MG28HLXX main engine rated to 853kW at 550rpm delivers a maximum speed of 15 knots, and an impressive cruising speed of 13.5 knots.
lts auxiliaries are two Yanmar 6HAL2- HTN delivering 265kW at 1,800rpm each, and driving two Taiyo FB X4P generators developing 225kVA. A Niigata converter gearbox connects the main engine to a Kamome fixed pitch five-bladed propeller, while a Kamome TFA-20UN 20 tonne bow thruster has been fitted forward, to enhance the handling of the vessel.Steering is by Tokimec PR2202-HSSM- 0605 steering gear, and the electronics on its modern and functional bridge, with excellent vision all round, were all supplied and fitted by Furuno.
'Taiyou Matu No.21 ' has a Sasakura watermaker capable of providing five tonnes of fresh water per day, which, when added to its fresh water capacity of 15 cubic metres, is adequate to sustain its crew of 25. Sixty-six cubic metres of fuel also give adequate range for its operations. Hydraulics are by Marin Hydroutec and include four winches, two capstans and one crane.
Taiyo A&F (operating as TAFCO) certainly maintains a large and viable fishing fleet, including longliners operating in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, even as far as Greenland. Latterly, it has also become involved in tuna farming, being a pioneer in that field in Japan, and maintaining sites at Kochi, Nagasaki and Okinawa. A diverse company with interests also in agriculture, it is, above all, keen to be seen as environmentally aware and sensitive.
In fact, the partnership between Watanabe Shipbuilding and TAFCO has proved to be a fruitful and successful one, as the newly delivered 'Taiyou Maru No.21 , at tests. With its streamlined appearance, clever design, and traditional construction, it is functional and, like its owners and builders, forward looking as it sails into a guaranteed future.