Vostochny Bereg LLC

Vostochny Bereg production facility comprises two plants constructed in 2012 and 2015. These plants are located in close vicinity of each other, separated only by a river but their performance data differ significantly.

The process flow is organized such that each production area could support one operation and feedstock could proceed from one area to another only in one direction passing a dedicated control point. Feedstock flows at different process stages do not intercross. Feedstock logistics allow for its temporary accumulation at any process stage, duplication of flows and redundant capacity to be used in case of equipment failure or human errors. Buffer storage is also provided for process equipment items including empty and filled block molds and block liners.

Fish is supplied to the plant by a fish pump via a water separating hopper and a weighing hopper. Receiving hoppers are divided into two independent sections with 5 units each and intended for buffer storage of 250 tons of fish. Fish is chilled in these hoppers by liquid ice generated and distributed by a dedicated system. Feeding conveyors include pre-sorting work stations normally used for garbage and by-catch removal. The design of hoppers precludes partial jamming of feedstock, its crushing and mechanical damage as a result of accumulation of an excessively thick layer of fish, existence of “dead spots” and similar designing and manufacturing errors. Another specific feature of this hopper is that incoming and outgoing flows are independent and may proceed simultaneously. Each hopper can be loaded and discharged independently of other hoppers.

From the receiving area, fish is fed to the sorting area where it is manually sorted by biological species and by processing type – head-on-gutted (HOG) or headed and gutted (H&G).

Sorted fish is fed to the dressing area. H&G is produced at two NAG-501 semi-automatic machines manufactured by Nikko (Japan) and HOG is produced at 3 slot conveyors manufactured by Technological Equipment Company. Fish is directed from the sorting area to a respective machine which precludes repeated sorting. After entrails are extracted by NAG-501 machines, they are split into roe, milt and waste in a separate production area. At slot conveyors, roe, milt and waste are extracted separately after which sac roe is directed to sorting and placing into a block liner and milt is either directed to placing into a block liner or together with waste is fed by a system of conveyors to the crusher, accumulated for buffer storage and transported by trucks for processing or disposal. After fish processing at NAG-501 machines, its viscera separated into roe, milt and waste are sent to the same production areas and fish heads are sent to waste.

After gutting, extraction of viscera, kidney removal and washing, fish bodies are sent to placing into block molds. Fish suitable for individual freezing is manually selected from the flow and sent to placing into individual freezing racks and the rest is sent to placing into molds for further freezing in blocks. The area for fish placing into individual freezing racks performs such operations as sorting by size, placing into a pan and rack, buffer storage of racks before loading into the air blast freezer. Fish moving pattern is linear because the flow of feedstock is relatively small. The area for fish placing into block molds performs such operations as rejection of fish bitten by sea animals, fish placing into block molds, buffer storage of empty and filled block molds before feeding to the plate quick freezer. Fish moving pattern before getting to the placing machine table/hopper is circular; the conveyor in this area has high sides, significant length and width and serves as a buffer allowing for continued fish gutting when placers are unable to handle the flow timely.

Filled racks, block liners and block molds are frozen in 3 freezing areas. Roe is frozen in 3 plate quick freezers; individual freezing is performed in 6 air blast freezers ASMT-7.5, block freezing is performed in 16 plate quick freezers.

Frozen products are discharged from quick freezers to packing areas. Roe is squeezed from block liners by a special machine and packed in boxes. Individually frozen fish is glazed in a submerged-type glazing machine, packed in a polyethylene bag and box. Block-frozen fish is subjected to thawing, demolding and glazed in a submerged glazing machine. Block molds are returned by a chain conveyor via a washing unit to placing areas or accumulated for buffer storage. Glazed blocks are packed in a liner and kraft bag. Packed products are put on pallets, each product type in a separate production area, and transported to warehouse.

All plant equipment, except quick freezers and 2 NAG-501 machines, was manufactured by Technological Equipment Company at its own manufacturing site in Vladivostok. Technological Equipment Company has been designing and manufacturing fishing processing plants and refrigerated warehouses, developing and introducing waste free technologies, designing and manufacturing modern high-tech serial equipment for fish processing for 19 years. During its lifetime, the company has implemented 50 major engineering projects in the Russian Far East achieving good practical results in recovery of Russia’s onshore and higher-level fish processing capacity.