Aker Seafoods has entered into a contract to purchase M/Tr Skaregg. Licenses from M/Tr Ballstad will be transferred to the newly purchased trawler. This strengthens Aker Seafoods’ ability to optimize existing and future quota rights.
– ”Skaregg” is a modern trawler from 1996 and provides Aker Seafoods with the possibility to better utilize existing quotas and thereby increase its harvesting of saithe and haddock, says Aker Seafoods’ CEO Yngve Myhre.
The trawler has recently undergone environmentally friendly upgrades, leading to a substantial reduction of the trawler’s nitrogen oxide emissions.
The quota recommendations for 2010 are positive to increase cod and haddock quotas. Aker Seafoods therefore wishes to upgrade its fleet to be able to harvest expected quotas in the years to come. The investments are expected to give good returns on the invested capital through increased harvesting volumes. Parallel to the investment in “Skaregg”, two of the group’s freezer trawlers are being upgraded to become combined freshfish and freezer trawlers, making it possible to deliver both fresh and frozen fish in one delivery. This secures a stable delivery of raw material on the same level as earlier to Aker Seafoods’ processing plants.
Part of the present crew at “Skaregg” will transfer over to the Aker Seafoods’ controlled trawler company “Finnmark Havfiske”. The trawler will be transferred to Finnmark Havfiske at the end of August and will be in operation from September. The purchase of the trawler is fully financed from Aker Seafoods’ existing lenders. M/Tr Ballstad (1969) has been removed from operations during the third quarter 2009.
