Norwegian aquaculture technology company Ovum has launched a steel version of its floating closed containment salmon farming system, expanding the design beyond the composite materials used in earlier models.
The new unit, named Egg 12k, is a cylindrical steel structure with a production volume of 12,000 cubic metres. At a design density of 50 kilograms per cubic metre, the system is designed to support a maximum biomass of around 600 tonnes.
According to the company, the steel solution has been developed to combine high fish farming performance with improved cost-efficiency, while drawing on steel fabrication expertise in Norway and elsewhere in Europe.
The unit retains the same technological platform as Ovum’s existing “Egg” systems. Key features include a robust hull with a raise-and-lower function, controlled main water flow, integrated biological control and systems for handling sludge and dead fish.
The raising and lowering mechanism is intended to enable gentler transfer of fish to wellboats, while also simplifying emptying, cleaning and disinfection between production cycles.
Ovum said the design is also intended to meet the requirements of Norway’s environmental flexibility scheme, which allows farmers to utilise portions of biomass licences that had previously been suspended under the country’s traffic light regulatory system.
