Closed offshore fish farming will now be able to take advantage of a novel concept developed by Norsk Hydro and Ecomerden. The two companies have found a way to replace steel with aluminium to produce the floating ring around the fish net.
Norway’s aluminium titan Norsk Hydro and the offshore aquaculture company Ecomerden are bringing the benefits of the light metal to the fishing industry with their innovative outer ring for fishing nets. The development can increase offshore fish farming’s efficiency, decrease costs, and eliminate water-polluting maintenance associated with steel.
Marijn Rietveld, Hydro’s Market Director of Marine & Offshore, commented:
“Aluminium is well suited for application in the offshore industry. It does not rust, requires little maintenance and weighs only a third of steel. As the offshore farming industry is growing, we believe more and more will discover the advantages of exploring what aluminium can offer.”
Jan-Erik Kyrkjebø, General Manager of Ecomerden, added:
“Working with Hydro on developing this concept, we both had the same goal – to improve productivity and welfare standards in offshore fish farms, while controlling costs. It turns out aluminium is the ideal material to meet our needs, as a high-performing and cost-effective option, creating new opportunities for growth.”
Norsk Hydro has been exploring the fishing sector for some time. The company seeks to increase the use of aluminium in floating structures and cages and bring down the associated costs. Norsk Hydro underlines the potential growth of the offshore fishing sector at the time when the Norwegian government has set a goal to boost fish production from one million to five million tonnes by 2050.
A sea of opportunities for #aluminium #offshore and now we've teamed up with @Ecomerden to explore the fish farming industry. More about how aluminium contributes to this industry: https://t.co/Ou42Q15VPa #ONS2018 #aluminiumbyhydro pic.twitter.com/d1lNxyCklz
— Norsk Hydro (@NorskHydroASA) August 30, 2018