UKC

I saw this being towed in Loch Sunart: https://imgur.com/nZnmbT1

Can anyone tell me what it is please?

Feed barge for a fish farm. 

Thanks.

The Russians are coming!
The Russians are coming!

I've never seen a fish farm feed barge, and I'm not disputing what you say, but it does seem an odd shape for a surface vessel. Why is it apparently so short horizontally and tall vertically? Wouldn't take make it particularly unstable? What am I missing?

I admit my first thought was a submarine conning tower, but on closer inspection I don't think it is.

It isn't powered and is being towed from one place to another where it will be moored.  Designed to be like an iceberg, made of concrete and more of it below the surface than above.   Carrying capacity is maybe 25-35% of the barge's own weight so it is an inherently stable design when moored.  Just not, as you note, in transit.  They are not moved often and always slowly in good weather conditions.

That makes total sense - especially about part of it being submerged. I guess I was thinking more of a resupply vessel than a static storage platform. Thanks!

Having sailed the area for a number of years I'm amazed at the amount of traffic the fish farm business generates. You can be up some remote loch in the Western Isles thinking you've got the place to yourself when a bloody great big feed ship hones into view. Still, it's a living for someone........

'UK's biggest food export.'

http://scottishsalmon.co.uk/%EF%BB%BFscottish-salmon-becomes-uks-number-one...

Have a look at this video for some of the kit that goes in to the farms:  youtube.com/watch?v=kVwta0LyMao&

Mainly owned by Norwegians.

That's like saying BP is British owned because it is listed in London.  Owned by companies listed on the Norwegian stock exchange, but that doesn't mean 100% owned by Norwegians.  Not tried links here before so apologies if this doesn't work.  Main MOWI shareholders and a lot of non Norwegians there:

https://mowi.com/investors/share-and-bond/shareholder-analysis/

3 of the 7 companies are Norway owned or listed.

And ownership matters why?  Does anyone restrict their purchases to UK sourced goods from UK owned companies?