421 
Large stern trawlers with freezer facilities (BMRTs) were a later 
development, and added greatly to the distance a vessel could travel 
from its homeport. 
TABLE 4,—U.S.S.R. FACTORY AND FREEZER STERN TRAWLERS OVER 100 GRT (DATA AS OF 
OCTOBER |, 1975) 
Type Class Number Constructed in 
MAIAKOVSKII 
Large Stern Factory Trawler (BMRT) ___________- Meer o ena SISO OR SESS 
TROPIK 
Stembreezer Wrawier (RIM) 225 oe 5) eee eee | ATLANTIK } 240 E. Germany 
KOSMOS Poland 
ReiiP erate ai Stenmnnrawien (ikl) === sm aren PUSHKIN 90 ; W. Germany 
LESKOV Poland 
GRUMANT Denmark 
Factory Processing Trawler (PRT) _____________- SKRYPLEV 60 4 Denmark 
ALTAI U.S.S.R. 
Seal-Hunting and Fishing Trawler ________________ ZMS ZO SAU ESES aR: 
Seal-Hunting and Fishing Trawler ___________--___ ZVEROBOI 20 Poland 
Wigtal paises Fairey A! cegy td. er teby | col ail ites AY. Nae 760 
Factory processing trawlers (PRTs) are a new type of vessel used 
for fishing and processing. Many of these processing trawlers have 
been built for the Soviet Union in Denmark. 
Certain classes of stern freezer trawlers (Tropiks, Atlantiks) are built 
exclusively in East Germany. To date, there are over 240 of these 
vessels, designated RTM, in the Soviet fishing fleet. The 20 ZMS- 
class vessels are equipped for seal-hunting as well as fishing. These 
trawlers have complete factory processing facilities onboard. The 
Zveroboi-class is also a dual-purpose sealer and fishing trawler. 
Zveroboi vessels are equipped to produce seal oil, skins and meat, 
along with fishmeal and frozen fish. The Zveroboi trawlers were built 
in Poland for the Soviet Far Eastern Fishing Fleet. First ordered 
in 1971, there are now 19 in operation. 
In mid-1975, the Soviet fishermen were trial-testing prototypes of 
two new classes of large stern freezer trawlers: the Meridian, and 
the Gorizont. The trials took place off Africa and if they were to 
be successful, mass-production of these two classes would begin in 
Soviet shipyards. 
PORTS OF CALL FOR THE FISHING FLEETS 
A large fishing fleet, operating far from its homeport, requires spe- 
cial facilities for transshipment of the catch, refueling, resupplying 
and for vessel maintenance and repairs. Catch transshipment is com- 
plicated, if not impossible, on the high seas due to heavy wave action 
which makes it difficult for vessels to anchor side by side. At the 
same time, it is much too expensive for a fishing vessel to move 
to and from distant fishing grounds to unload its catch and refuel. 
The countries with fishing fleets that fish off distant foreign coasts, 
therefore, often seek the use of nearby port facilities. The Soviet 
