These closed cages will soon be en route to Norway
Seafarming Systems has now formally signed an agreement with CCB Ågotnes for the assembly of the sections built in China into finished Aquatraz C2 cages for SalMar and Lerøy.
In December, steel cutting for six floating closed Aquatraz C2 cages was completed at the Blue Ocean Wind shipyard in Jieyang, Guangdong Province, China. The cages are built as sections in China and will be transported to Norway for assembly before being delivered to the world's second- and fourth-largest Atlantic salmon farmers, SalMar and Lerøy, reports Fish Farming Expert's Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no.
"Section fabrication in China and assembly of the cages in Norway gives us the best of both worlds. The sections will soon be ready for transport from China and we are pleased to now sign with CCB Ågotnes who will assemble the sections into complete cages," said Alf Reidar Sandstad, general manager of Seafarming Systems which supplies the Aquatraz cages.
50 cages annually
He emphasised that the choice of a Norwegian shipyard partner has been important in laying the foundation for scaling up production so that the company can deliver the number of cages the industry needs. Both the assembly of cages and the aftermarket will be important for the shipbuilding industry," claimed Sandstad.
"The future of floating closed production looks promising and we are experiencing significant interest in our solutions in the market. Neither we nor our customers consider this as a stand-alone project, but rather as the start of a long-term industrial collaboration. Seafarming Systems is therefore gearing up to deliver 50 cages annually over the next few years, and then we must have a supply chain that can handle that volume, both in China and in Norway."
Seafarming Systems is a technology supplier, and is completely dependent on competent industrial partners at all levels, Sandstad said.
Jan-Dagfinn Lund, chief executive of CCB AS, said the project was exciting and strategically important for the company.
"We are proud to contribute to the completion of Aquatraz C2 and see this as the start of a new long-term industrial collaboration within the aquaculture of the future. Together we will deliver quality and contribute to the further development of the Norwegian supplier industry."
Fifth generation
Aquatraz C2 is the fifth generation of the Aquatraz family, further developed in close collaboration with SalMar and Lerøy based on experience from approximately 30,000 tonnes of salmon produced. Unlike earlier iterations which had a net extending below a solid wall, the C2 is fully enclosed.
The cage has a volume of 70,000 cubic metres, double barrier, deep water intake from 35 metres or deeper, and integrated sludge collection. Good fish welfare is ensured, according to the companies, through high water exchange and good current conditions.
"The knowledge and experience from the farmers is very important in the development process and we are grateful for the close collaboration with both SalMar and Lerøy throughout the process and look forward to continuing this even after delivery of these cages," said Sandstad.
"This enables farmers to take the fish all the way to harvest, in addition to post-smolt production. When the six cages are in operation, it will correspond to approximately doubling the current production in closed cages in Norway."
He added that the Aquatraz C2 meets all the requirements of Norway's environmental flexibility scheme.
On schedule and happy with the quality
The project is now in the final stages of completion in China and Blue Ocean Wind is on track to deliver both on time and to the expected quality.
"This is not a given when you build six of the world's largest closed units in parallel in a fast-track project. There is a lot that needs to be coordinated and worked out for this to go well, and I am proud of what we have achieved together with our partners," said Sandstad. "We have a group of incredibly talented employees who have been there, and will continue to be there until we reach the finish line in a few months."
If everything continues to go according to plan, all cages will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Sandstad also highlighted the work being done at the Chinese shipyard.
"We are very satisfied with the quality of the work at the Chinese shipyard. The capacity is also impressive. This gives us confidence that we can scale up deliveries in the future," he said.
Total production time for the cages is estimated to be approximately 11 months, from steel cutting in China to fully assembled units in Norway.
