The Dutch super trawler the Abel Tasman, refused permission to fish in Australian seas, has applied to become a floating freezer.

The owners of the ship, which is registered in Katwijk and was previously known as the Margiris, have applied to the Australian authorities for permission to buy mackerel and redbait from other trawlers and to store these on board, reports the Nos news service.

The owners say they are no longer planning to fish and that inspectors are welcome to oversee activities on board.

The Abel Tasman has lain in port since the Australian government banned it from fishing off the coast of Tasmania in September 2012. The ban could last for two years while the Australians review the consequences for the fish stock.