September 22, 2020

AKVA Group in agreement to set up land-based salmon farms in Middle East

Aquaculture equipment provider AKVA Group ASA has signed a design and cooperation agreement with Vikings Label for the development of land-based salmon farms in the Middle East.

Vikings Labal is based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Announcing the deal, Vikings chief technical officer Morten Malle said it is important to get an experienced and solid technology partner onboard for the project, which is aimed at building a land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) Atlantic salmon farm with a capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes, at an expected cost of US$90 million.

"Only a few RAS suppliers have long-term experience in the design, construction and operation of modern land-based fish farming in this region, AKVA group being one of them. In this partnership, we feel even more confident that we are creating successful projects and bringing long-term food security to the region," Malle added.

According to AKVA land based sales director Jacob Bregnballe, who has extensive experience from land-based projects in the Middle East, it is a challenge to build successful aquaculture projects in the region. It requires "a strong entity working tightly together," he said.

"Many things are done differently in this region, often in ways we do not face on home grounds. In our new working relationship with Vikings, we believe we have an excellent and ambitious team," Bregnballe said. "Vikings has been progressing fast in the past few months and we can't wait to be part of the good progress."

- SeafoodSource