Echebastar Group will receive its new Tuna Freezer Vessel “JAI ALAI” from Zamakona Shipyards

Echebastar Group will receive its new Tuna Freezer Vessel “JAI ALAI” next Saturday at 12:00 hours from Zamakona Shipyards after its naming at the Maritime Cruise Station at Getxo, Port of Bilbao.

The naming ceremony of the second of a series of three Tuna Freezer Vessels of similar characteristics that Zamakona Shipyards has built for Echebastar Group will take place this Saturday 7^th March.

The naming ceremony will be headed over by Mr. Kepa Echevarría (CEO of Echebastar Group) and Mr. Pedro Garaygordobil (President of Zamakona Group) whereas the Godmother of this tuna freezer will be Mrs. Maria Felicidad Madariaga Arenaza, shareholder of the proprietor company of the vessel. The Ceremony to be attended by more than two hundred and fifty people including distinguished representatives from Basque, Central and Seychelles Governments, Port of Bilbao Authorities, staff from Astilleros Zamakona, suppliers and clients of Echebastar as well as partners and staff of the fishing company. After the naming ceremony a lunch will be held at Hotel Carlton in Bilbao to celebrate this important event.

“JAI ALAI” is hull number 737 of the Shipyard located in Santurce. It’s a project of new design incorporating the latest and most modern technology built to the specifications of this fishing company with its headquarters in Bermeo (Biscay). This vessel will join her brother “IZARO” in the Indian Ocean for tropical tuna fishing tasks. Same as “IZARO”, some of the innovative principals of “JAI ALAI” are the aluminium in superstructure and bridge areas, quick freezing tunnels at ‐60º and safe areas arranged with anti piracy equipment. Also the vessel incorporates an innovative system of fish separation that returns non targeted fish alive to the ocean with little human intervention.

At these moments Echebastar Group is in the process of being evaluated by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an independent organization that certifies sustainable fishing and well managed all over the world. Echebastar is the first Spanish Fishing Company of Tropical

Tuna submitted to a whole evaluation process from MSC side.