Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles has been selected by Norway's Pelican Aqua Holding for the construction of four new wellboats in a series.
The contract awarded to CIMC Raffles also includes options for up to six additional wellboats from the same series. Deliveries of the vessels are scheduled to commence in 2029.
The design work on the wellboats will be provided by Norwegian naval architecture firm Salt Ship Design.
The vessels will be equipped with advanced live fish handling systems supplied by MMC First Process. These will enable the vessels to meet the operational requirements of Norwegian and international markets in terms of modern live fish transport equipment.
The vessels can be fitted with treatment systems and battery packs to reduce dependence on diesel generators in supplying power for all onboard systems.
Initial funding for the four firm wellboats will come from a US$60 million private placement successfully completed by Pelican Aqua earlier this month.