SSC orders new feed barge after biomass boost
The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) has commissioned Gael Force Group to build a new SeaMate feed barge for its Portree operation after securing consent to grow an extra 2,000 tonnes of salmon at the site.
Work on the 400-tonne capacity, 14-metre barge will begin imminently at the Gael Force base in Inverness. It will be fitted with Gael Force's own-brand SeaFeed technology, including an eight-line feeding system.
The SeaFeed system, which was officially launched by Gael Force at the Aqua Nor trade show in Trondheim in August, is a first for SSC.
In 2016 SSC signed an exclusive contract with Gael Force as preferred supplier of consumables, a partnership which SSC said had resulted in the development of a new software platform enabling more efficient and cost-effective ordering of consumables from all 60 SSC sites and processing plants.
SSC chief executive Craig Anderson said: “We have worked in partnership with Gael Force for several years and this newly-commissioned barge highlights our commitment to supporting Scottish businesses and local sourcing. The design process was very much a collaborative approach, both in terms of the technology and health and safety aspects. This commission reflects our commitment to investing in innovation to improve our operational efficiency and support business growth.”
Stewart Graham, owner and group managing director of Gael Force Group, said: “This new barge will be one of the most sophisticated of its kind in Scotland. This announcement with The Scottish Salmon Company, along with an increased demand for feed barges, will see us enter the New Year on a great footing allowing us to increase our workforce by an additional 20 people in the first quarter.”
The barge will be the 83rd SeaMate barge Gael Force has made.
