The headquarters of salmon farmer Bakkafrost at Glyvrar were the scene of a grand reception on January 7th as the brand new 109-meter hybrid well boat ‘Bakkafossur’ arrived at the company’s terminal.
Making the fish farming major’s fleet of workboats as many as a total 89, this was, in the words of Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen, “a significant moment for the business.” The impressive vessel is considered “one of the largest well boats in the global aquaculture industry.”
The reception at Glyvrar on Saturday with Bakkafrost board members and senior management saw a number of dignitaries including Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen and other government representatives plus scores of curious professionals and local residents gathered — all defying the pouring rain to welcome the ship and its crew members, who were arriving from from the Sefine Shipyard in Turkey.
The building of the highly technological vessel commenced in the summer of 2020 and was completed in December 2022.
Bakkafossur can reportedly carry up to 1,000 tonnes of live salmon and is regarded as “a huge upgrade to secure sustainable operations in the future.”
In addition to the five diesel-electric engines, the vessel is equipped with large batteries, ensuring an approximate 20-percent increase in energy efficiency. The strategic placement of the engines on the top deck secures the opportunity for a swift change to sustainable energy solutions when such are available on the market.
Equipped with reverse osmosis technology for de-salination of water with a production capacity of 6,000 tonnes of freshwater a day, Bakkafossur adds significant freshwater treatment capacity to Bakkafrost’s operations in the Faroe Islands, according to Bakkafrost.
“Treating salmon with freshwater is an efficient way to rinse the gills, restore gill health and ensure more robust and healthy growth,” we’re told.
In addition, Bakkafossur will be equipped with an FLS sea-lice removal system, increasing biosecurity in line with Bakkafrost’s sustainability strategy.
Bakkafossur is also prepared for offshore farming.
“We need to see an increase in the supply of sustainable protein,” Mr. Jacobsen said at the reception. “Aquaculture and salmon farming in particular is regarded as one of the best solutions for sustainable food production when considering sustainability in the broadest sense. The Faroe Islands offer many opportunities — thus it is of vital importance that the will, skills and regulations facilitate the utilization of these opportunities. With Bakkafossur, we take a huge step towards both offshore farming and more sustainable operations.”
The CEO added: “Our vision for the Faroe Islands is to increase our production output significantly to increase the general supply of sustainable ocean food, contributing to the sustainable transformation of the world’s food system.”
