Atlantic Sapphire agrees land deal for huge expansion
On-land salmon farmer Atlantic Sapphire is to buy an extra 80 acres of land next to its existing 80-acre site in Miami to allow it to ramp up production to 220,000 tonnes a year by 2030, it said today.
The $5 million deal is expected to close within 30 days, the company said in a market announcement to the Oslo stock exchange.
It added that the deal would allow it to develop additional vertical integration opportunities.
Atlantic Sapphire also announced the appointment of Svein Taklo as chief development and infrastructure officer (CDIO) from October 1.
He brings extensive experience from the cruise shipping industry, managing engineering projects and maintenance operations.
Taklo has held senior management roles in marine and technical operations for the world’s largest privately-owned residential yacht, called The World, Norwegian cruise / ferry line Hurtigruten AS and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Atlantic Sapphire said the move was another step in the company’s strategy to implement learning from other large, technically advanced industries into its “Bluehouse” salmon farming facility.
The company’s original plans involved the production of 90,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon per year and is already growing fish.
In February chief executive Johan Andreassen said it had moved the first two commercial batches from the hatchery to the fish farm.
