The owners of trawler ’33 Marbi’ at
Ostend are full of praise for their on-
board Geneglace F100SW flake-ice making machine.
Ice prices on the quay in Belgium and Holland are around £30-40 per tonne.
The use of rthe on-board Geneglace F100SW represents considerable cost and time savings.
"The quality of our fish has improved greatly, " said skipper Pascal van Billemonte, " and we have been complimented on the improvement in presentation of our catches by the inspectors themselves at the market. And, of course, we are getting better prices. "
Prices in the traditional Dutch auction at Ostend have been consistently higher based on the sort of quality the inspectors and bidders look for in the fish : clear eyes, smooth shiny skin, firm plump flesh and the general glistening, and in some cases, iridescent appearance.
Traders and inspectors alike are aware that conventional ice deteriorates

significantly while it is being loaded on board and during prolonged storage before the boat reaches the fishing spot.
Careful handling on board is as important as ever, but the Geneglace flake-ice machine has made a significant difference.
Pascal van Bellemonte has developed exactly the right mix for summer and winter onboard ice making. In winter, from September onwards, he uses a blend of 1/3 fresh water to 2/3 seawater - in the summer he uses seawater only.
Once clear of the harbour he starts taking on seawater and with or without the mix the water is taken straight into the Geneglace F100SW relying on the internal filters.
The real benefits are reflected in the quality and the market price of the landed fish.
On ’33 Marbi’ the flake-ice is held for 12 hours before us with the catch in the refrigerated hold. The hold is maintained at 1-2°C.
This 12 hour " resting " of the ice before use is part of the treatment that Pascal and his crew have refined on ’33 Marbi’.
As the volume of flake-ice increases in the hold there is a dual benefit - energy savings due to less demand on the refrigeration plant and less risk of dehydration, which can occur if refrigeration alone is used.
The proportion of flake-ice to fish is in the ratio of 1 :5. ’33 Marbi’ lands about 25 to 30 tonnes of fish per trip after being out at sea for eight or nine days. The stay

in Ostend harbour is usually 2-3 days.
Thus, the Geneglace F100SW runs for about 36 hours to produce about five tonnes of flake-ice.
Three other trawlers now have Geneglace on-board flake-ice machines.
This choice by the other skipper was influenced by the improved quality of the catch from ’33 Marbi’ in the market.
"We carefully studied the options for an on-board ice-maker ", says Pascal, "the price for the Geneglace was more attractive, but we also felt the Geneglace concept with a static drum and few moving parts would be sess liable to undue stress and wear. Today we are happy we made this choice. The machine will have paid for itself in one year. "
For further information contact
Frigofrance, Place de la Bastille, Les Couëts, 44340 Bouguenais, FRANCE.
PH:+33 2 40 32 06 06, FX:+33 2 40 65 04 88  - www.geneglace.com
Flake-ice from the 1/3 fresh water to
2/3 seawater mix