A new entrant to the wellboat business has contracted for the construction in China of four 5000-cubic-metre live fish carriers (LFCs) to be delivered in 2029. The new company holds options for a further six LFCs.
Pelican Aqua Holding Plc completed a $60 million private placement in May 2026 to fund the initial instalments relating to the four firm newbuilding contracts. The new company has already initiated a process aimed at ahcieving listing on Euronext Growth Oslo with a targeted first day of trading by the end of June.
‘We are proud of the establishment of Pelican Aqua, and highly appreciate the strong support received from investors, industrial partners and other stakeholders,’ commented Pelican Aqua chairman Gunnar W Eliassen.
‘We look forward to continuing the close co-operation with Salt Ship Design, MMC First Process and CIMC Raffles to deliver high-quality Live Fish Carriers to the aquaculture industry. Pelican Aqua is committed to maintaining the highest standards within fish welfare, biosafety and HSEQ. The company will focus on further strengthening its organisation and commercial platform, and expects to announce employment of additional key executives in the near future.’
Pelican Aqua’s new vessels are designed by Salt Ship Design and are to be built by CIMC Raffles. These are sophisticated vessels with fish handling systems supplied by MMC First Process, adapted to meet both Norwegian and international market standards. ‘We are pleased to have been selected as shipyard for for this landmark transaction,’ said Li Minggao, VP of CIMC Raffles and chairman of CIMC Raffles, Longkou Yard.
‘Pelican Aqua combines a strong industrial platform with a modern vessel design focused on high-quality delivery, operational performance and safety. Together with Salt Ship Design and MMC First Process, we believe these vessels will represent a strong and modern offering to the aquaculture industry.’
