Nordlaks in Stokmarknes, Norway, is currently building a 385m long and 60m wide offshore salmon farm.
The installation is being built at the CIMC Raffles yard in China.
Nordlaks has also ordered a new hybrid/LNG live fish carrier (wellboat) to be built at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey. Rolls-Royce has been commissioned to provide equipment for both new builds, which have been designed by NSK Ship Design.
Rolls-Royce will supply six TT1100 tunnel thrusters to the massive fish farm, which has been designed to produce salmon further offshore than has been possible so far.
The farm will take up a stationary position in an area southwest of Hadseløya in Nordland county. The thrusters will be used to circulate water both inside and underneath the cages in which the fish stocks are held.
Ottar Ristesund, Rolls-Royce, SVP Propulsion Sales – Marine, said, “This is the first time we will be supplying thrusters for this kind of use. Normally, they are used for ship propulsion, so it is fascinating to see that our technology is being applied in new areas. It’s good that the maritime industry can join forces with fish farmers to think innovatively and help Norway harvest food from the sea using new and sustainable methods.”
Nordlaks has also ordered a new, environment-friendly wellboat to transport live salmon from the offshore fish farm to the onshore processing facility. The wellboat will be fitted with four LNG engines, as well as propulsion and Dynamic Positioning (DP) system from Rolls-Royce.
Capable of carrying over 600 tonnes of live salmon, the wellboat will substantially increase Nordlaks’s transport capacity.