Pure Salmon Technology wins contract for 10 million-smolt facility

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) supplier Pure Salmon Technology has won a contract to provide both equipment and automation for a major large smolt facility due to be built in Norway.

Helgeland Smolt, which is majority owned by salmon farmer Nova Sea, is investing more than NOK 1 billion in the plant at Kilvika in Meløy municipality, just north of the Arctic Circle. It will have a capacity to produce 10 million smolts of 600 grams.

“After successful partnerships in previous projects, it is very gratifying that Helgeland Smolt has once again chosen us as their collaborative partner,” said Pure Salmon Technology sales manager Jack Tucker.

“The fact that we provide both process equipment and automation, ensuring the interface between equipment and control, has been a crucial factor. Helgeland Smolt’s choice reflects their trust in our expertise and technology.”

Good relationship

Helgeland Smolt chief executive Arne Gransjøen said: “We chose Pure Salmon Technology based on their expertise in RAS, particularly in automation. We have collaborated with Pure Salmon Technology in previous projects and have a very good working relationship with them.”

Pure Salmon Technology said its digital platform, NJORD, will provide comprehensive control and monitoring of the facility for Helgeland Smolt. This will contribute to optimising operations, ensuring precise data collection and control, and strengthening the focus on fish welfare. It includes several smart functionalities that simplify the daily tasks for operators and personnel.

After previous deliveries of complete RAS facilities at Helgeland Smolt Reppen and Helgeland Smolt Sundsfjord, Pure Salmon Technology has now implemented complete SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) for both these facilities, and it will also be part of the Kilvik facility.

The construction of the smolt facility is set to commence within weeks, with the first smolt expected to be delivered in spring 2026.

Second contract

The contract from Helgeland Smolt is the second that Pure Salmon Technology has secured in a short period, following the recent announcement of Grieg Seafood Finnmark’s post-smolt project at Adamselv, where the fish farmer already has a hatchery. The plant will consist of two post-smolt modules, each module with a capacity of 8,000 kg of feed per day and a vessel volume of 9,200m³, where post-smolts will grow from approximately 100 grams to around 1 kilo.

“After a period where the new resource tax (Editor: a 25% extra tax on salmon farmers’ profits) paused Norwegian projects, Pure Salmon Technology used the time to finalise a post-smolt design and an exciting automation package for the industry. Therefore, we are currently experiencing significant interest and demand for our solutions, and we look positively towards the future,” said the company chief executive, Kent Kongsdal Rasmussen.

Pure Salmon Technology is part of the Pure Salmon group owned by investment fund 8F Aquaculture, which is intending to produce more than 260,000 tonnes of salmon annually in RAS built close to major population centres around the world. Pure Salmon Technology’s subsidiaries – Pure Salmon Kaldnes (in Norway) and Pure Salmon Kaldnes RAS (in Denmark) - are established suppliers of RAS smolt systems.

Singapore-based 8F bought the RAS division of Krüger Kaldnes from international water and waste giant Veolia in 2021 and formed a new company, Pure Salmon Kaldnes.