Norwegian salmon producer Alsaker Fjordbruk at Onarheim has contracted a new live fish carrier with a design package provided by Salt Ship Design. The vessel will be built by Astilleros de Murueta in Spain and will be delivered in 2020.
Alsaker is a vertically integrated fish farming group, and one of the largest privately-owned players in the smolt and salmon production sector. The group has developed and operates several smolt plants, their own land-based processing plant and holds a large number of salmon licenses.
The company and the yard have co-operated for a long time on the development of a live fish carrier design based on gentle fish-handling principles, combined with a strong focus on fish welfare, hygiene and quality.
The vessel will have several new and innovative design solutions and a high degree of flexibility in relation to different types of fish-handling operations, including lice treatment.
Salt has been working closely with Alsaker for a long time to study the operational requirements for a modern and efficient live fish carrier.
According to Arne Stenersen at Salt Ship Design, it is very exciting and educational to be allowed to co-operate with a team of such first-class fish farming skills and strong commitment.
‘The co-operation with Alsaker and MMC First Process, which will deliver a large fish-handling package, has resulted in a highly efficient vessel with unique operational flexibility,’ he said.
The new vessel is 90.70 metres in length, with an 18.60 metre breadth and a well capacity of more than 5000 cubic metres.
‘The market is currently good in the aquaculture and fisheries sector, and these markets will be very important to Salt. In addition to design, Salt will deliver complete engineering package to Murueta. This is therefore a very important contract, which adds to an orderbook of 15 vessel designs under construction at yards in Norway and other countries.’
