GeoSalmo and Artec Aqua sign an agreement for the construction of a fish farm in Ölfus
GeoSalmo has signed a contract with the Norwegian company Artec Aqua for the design and development of its salmon farm on land in Ölfus, near Þorlákshöfn. GeoSalmo aims to build a 24,000-ton land-based farm, and the contract stipulates the development of its first phase, which is intended to produce 7,300 tons of whole salmon. The total value of the contract is between ISK 21-25 billion and covers the design, equipment, and structure of the station itself.
GeoSalmo has signed a contract with the Norwegian company Artec Aqua for the design and development of its salmon farm on land in Ölfus, near Þorlákshöfn. Geo Salmo aims to build a 24,000-ton land-based farm, and the contract stipulates the development of its first phase, which is intended to produce 7,300 tons of whole salmon. The total value of the contract is between ISK 21-25 billion and covers the design, equipment, and structure of the station itself.
GeoSalmo's aquaculture in Ölfus will be based on unique natural qualities, where its possibility to obtain an abundance of clean seawater from the ground is very suitable for salmon farming. The fish farm will be equipped with the most advanced equipment available to control temperature and water quality, ensuring the growth and well-being of the fish in conditions that in many ways reflect their natural environment. All tanks will be covered, which ensures complete control of the breeding process and thus unprecedented stability and quality.
Artec Aqua was founded about 20 years ago and since then has offered complete services for the development of several fish farms, primarily in Norway. The company's focus has always been on the welfare of fish and the quality of products, which correlates with Geo Salmo's goal of raising environmentally friendly high-quality salmon under the best possible conditions. Artec Aqua has recently completed the design and construction of a land-based station of a similar size and type to the one that the contract stipulates to be built, and that station was the first of its kind worldwide.
"We are extremely pleased to start working with Artec Aqua on the development of Geo Salmo. They have secured their position as a global leader in land-based fish farming and have shown a unique ability to meet and exceed expectations when developing their projects. The combination of Artec Aqua's knowledge, experience and superior technology determined our choice of overall supplier for the project. The partnership will ensure success in our journey to farm salmon of the highest quality, which will be one of the most environmentally friendly foods.” says Jens Þórðarson, CEO of Geo Salmo.
The preparatory design of Artec Aqua has already begun, but construction will begin according to plan in the fall of 2023. The technology in the station is a mixed through-flow system that ensures maximum water quality with minimal interventions.
"We did a pre-design project with Geo Salmo this spring and are very happy to continue our good cooperation with this powerful team. The project is extremely exciting as it combines our mixed flow-through technology with the unique conditions in Iceland where it is possible to obtain seawater that has filtered naturally through lava ore. Choosing us as a partner in this extensive project is a confirmation of Artec Aqua's strong reputation in the development of land-based fish farms and the unique competence of our team," says Ingegjerd Eidsvik, Artec Aqua's CEO.
The aim is to get a large number of Icelandic contractors and service providers involved in the project, and in this way new knowledge and experience will be built up in Iceland, which can be used for the rapidly growing industry that land-based salmon farming is aiming to become in the coming years in this country.
