Norway's Bauta Fishfarms has launched Varig 001, which the company describes as the world's first enclosed aquaculture pen built in steel. The company announced the launch on Monday, November 2.
The unit will undergo completion work before being towed to Gjermundnes in Vestnes municipality. There, salmon farmer Prophylaxia will stock 200,000 fish six to eight weeks after handover.
The fish will remain in the pen for nearly four months before transfer to open pens. During this commercial operation, Prophylaxia will test the pen's water circulation, oxygen supply and sludge handling systems.
The first pen was purchased by OceanDock, a company set up by Bauta Group, Rofisk and Prophylaxia.
OceanDock will lease the pen to Prophylaxia. Bauta said the leasing model is intended to reduce the investment cost for fish farmers and make the technology accessible to them
Bauta Maritime carried out steel construction and outfitting at the shipyard on Aukra. Bauta Fishfarms said it has capacity to produce up to 30 steel pens annually
The 32-metre-diameter pen holds 10,000 cubic metres of water. It is designed for existing farm sites and frame moorings. Its entire water volume can be exchanged up to twice an hour, and collected sludge and uneaten feed are pumped out
Earlier enclosed sea-based designs in Norway include the composite-hulled Egget and the Marine Donut, which was built from high-density polyethylene and was also stocked with 200,000 salmon.