Rock star: Andfjord reports fast progress with tunnel for salmon farm

Land-based fish farmer Andfjord Salmon has reported faster than expected progress for construction of waterways that will provide fresh seawater to the pools at the company’s facility at Kvalnes, Andøya, Norway.

Tunnel construction was 38% complete a month ago and is now 57% complete.

The waterways, including inlet and outlet tunnel, are designed to support a future production of 40,000 tonnes of salmon at Kvalnes.

“Construction of the waterways is underground work that exposes us to ground conditions. To make 20% progress in such a short time period is important as it helps to de-risk one of the most challenging parts of the Kvalnes build-out,” said chief executive Martin Rasmussen in a stock market announcement.

To make 20% progress in such a short time period is important as it helps to de-risk one of the most challenging parts of the Kvalnes build-out

Martin Rasmussen

Andfjord Salmon will use laminar flow-through – water comes in one end and out the other – at its farm and has proved its concept by raising a successful crop in a pilot pool.

40,000 tonnes HOG

In this first phase of the Kvalnes build-out, Andfjord Salmon is completing four flow-through pools, increasing total production capacity to 8,000 tonnes (head on gutted) by 2025. The company aims to achieve a total production capacity of 40,000 tonnes HOG at Kvalnes through gradual volume increases between 2025 and 2030.

The initial phase includes developing shared infrastructure such as waterways and a harbour area to support future production.

Work on the harbour area and concrete pools is progressing as planned. The harbour area work is currently 42% complete, up from 36% on May 29, when the company last gave a construction update along with quarterly results.

The concrete pools are 12% complete, up from 8% at the end of May, as installation of steel reinforcements and foundation work is moving ahead as scheduled.