Fish farming offshore gathers momentum
The first major offshore fish farm is scheduled for installation early next year off Norway. Developed by Global Maritime Consultancy and Engineering this huge offshore structure marks a turning point in fish farming and offers new avenues for development for the companies involved in offshore oil and wind farms.
Global Maritime Consultancy and Engineering has taken its offshore expertise into aquaculture in designing the world’s largest offshore fish farm for Norwegian company Ocean Farming, a subsidiary of the SalMar Group. This pilot facility, which will be located near the island of Frâya off the Norwegian coast is a permanently moored semi-submersible structure with a diameter of 100 meters and height of 68 meters. The installation combines the most advanced technologies and expertise from both the Norwegian fish farming industry and the offshore oil and gas sector.
Feasibility studies on the project started in 2012 followed by a model basin model tests to demonstrate the facility’s suitability for harsh weather conditions. CSIS Qingdao Wuchuan Heavy Industry in China is finalising the construction of the structure with partners including Marintek, Kongsberg Maritime and DNV GL who verified the design work.
The life of the structure is estimated at 25 years and is designed to survive ship collisions or a ‘once in 100 years’ wave. The anchoring system and ballast tanks will allow inspection of the structure above water and all operations including feeding will be fully automated. The structure includes living accommodation for the crew with ships supplying feed and other requirements and taking grown fish ashore.
By Dag Pike
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