Aibel’s role in this collaboration will focus on designing a pilot plant featuring large floating steel structures.
Lovundlaks-owned offshore salmon farming startup Utror has signed a deal with Aibel, an industrial firm known for its expertise in offshore installations, to develop and realize offshore aquaculture projects.
This partnership initially involves conducting a feasibility study for offshore salmon farming.
Utror CEO Olav-Andreas Ervik sees this venture as an opportunity to use the country’s traditional areas of strength, to create a new industry with significant employment opportunities.
Ervik was at one time managing director of SalMar and more recently managing director of its joint offshore venture, SalMar Aker Ocean.
“In Norway, we hold a leading position within salmon farming as well as offshore operations in demanding waters. If we can combine these skills, we have great potential to significantly increase salmon production and at the same time create a whole new industry with many jobs and major ripple effects,” said Ervik.
Under this agreement, Aibel will provide its specialized skills in complex offshore structures and study work, marking an important step in Aibel’s strategy to diversify into new markets, including hydrogen, carbon capture, biofuel, and now offshore aquaculture.
Erlend Mjanger, SVP Business Development at Aibel, noted the company’s shift from oil and gas to offshore wind and other new industries, highlighting Utror as a visionary partner with a strong background in fish farming.
Utror, originating from Lovundlaks on Helgeland, aims to expand its salmon farming operations offshore, capitalizing on the optimal growing conditions at sea and enhanced biosafety.
Aibel’s role in this collaboration will focus on designing a pilot plant featuring large floating steel structures, with work being conducted from their Oslo office. This partnership could lead to detailed engineering and construction contracts for the pilot plant, and possibly several offshore aquaculture facilities in the future.
The development is expected to create numerous jobs at Aibel, particularly in engineering and at the Haugesund yard.
