20-year-old Adrian Røsand was killed at work on New Year’s Day 2022.
A district court in Norway on Friday September 8, ruled that aquaculture workboat operator FSV is guilty of violating Ship Safety Act provisions, resulting in a fine of NOK 2 million ($185,000).
The Trøndelag district court’s judgment stems from an incident on January 1, 2022, in which the vessel Multi Visjon failed to follow safety procedures while operating at SalMar’s Ruggstein site in Norway.
This safety failure led to the tragic death of Adrian Røsand (20) who was found caught between the vessel and a net pen after falling or slipping from a stairwell on the vessel.
The court documents revealed that on the day of the incident, the vessel was on duty outside Frøya in Trøndelag.
Built in 2021, the Multi Visjon was manned by a crew of four, including the victim, Røsand, whose primary responsibilities involved deckhand tasks and kitchen duties.
Besides the fine, the court ordered FSV Rederi to pay court costs of NOK 100,000 ($10,000) and restitution of NOK 125,000 ($12,000) to each of the survivors.
Campaigners have previously raised concerns over ship safety regulations in the region.
A study conducted by researchers at Sintef, released in 2020, disclosed alarming statistics regarding safety in the Norwegian aquaculture sector. According to the report, a staggering 76 percent of aquaculture workers in Norway admitted to experiencing or witnessing near-accidents within the past two years.
FSV Rederi, established in 2018, is a subsidiary of the FSV Group. In 2022, the company recorded an operating income of NOK 194.5 million ($18 million) and a profit of NOK 20.7 million ($2 million).
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