You cannot copy one land-based farming facility to the next

AKVA group has delivered land-based aquaculture facilities in China, South Korea, Chile, Iceland and Norway. The experience is clear: no two projects can be built in the same way.

In Vestmannaeyjar, Laxey has access to large volumes of seawater, which influences the choice of technology and production solutions. In Finnmark, projects must be planned with great precision, as weather conditions and logistics can affect execution. In South Korea, much of the work has focused on building the expertise needed to ensure stable operations after the facility has been delivered.

"Many people assume that you can build one facility and then replicate it for the next project. In practice, it simply doesn’t work that way," says Siri Tømmerås, Commercial Director at AKVA group Land Based.

Siri Tømmerås in AKVA group. Photo: AKVA group

Today, AKVA group Land Based consists of around 250 employees with expertise covering the entire value chain – from planning and construction to commissioning, operation and further development of facilities.

"Technology can be standardised to a certain extent, but every project must be adapted to local conditions. This includes everything from climate and water quality to energy availability, logistics and production strategy," says Tømmerås.

Built around the conditions in Iceland

The collaboration with Laxey began in 2022 with the construction of Iceland’s first true RAS facility (Recirculating Aquaculture System) for smolt production in Vestmannaeyjar. Since then, the project has expanded to include post-smolt and grow-out based on Hybrid Flow Through technology.

Daði Pálsson, CEO i Laxey. Selskapet har utviklet anlegget på Vestmannaeyjar steg for steg, basert på erfaringer fra drift og lokale forhold. Foto: Laxey

"We wanted a partner who understood both our needs and the local conditions in Vestmannaeyjar. AKVA group demonstrated early on that they were willing to develop the project together with us." 

– Daði Pálsson, CEO in Laxey

In Iceland, stable seawater temperatures, natural filtration through volcanic lava and access to seawater have been key factors in shaping the facility.

"We bring experience and technology from many projects, but the solutions must be developed according to how each site actually performs in practice," says Tømmerås.

The Laxey project has evolved alongside the company’s needs and experience. Following the establishment of smolt and grow-out production, the focus on post-smolt was strengthened. Post-smolt production provides greater operational flexibility, strong biological performance and earlier revenue generation, and the results so far have been positive.

"We are not only building for today’s production, but for the decades ahead. To achieve further growth, the facility must be developed step by step based on the experience we gain along the way," says Pálsson.

Standardised – but not copy-and-paste

Many facilities are built using a modular approach, making it possible to scale production gradually while improving efficiency and reducing risk.

"Modularisation allows experience to be carried forward as new phases are developed. At the same time, there is no copy-and-paste solution in this industry," says Tømmerås.

At Vestmannaeyjar, Laxey draws seawater through volcanic rock formations, which influences both technology choices and production design. Photo: Laxey

Tømmerås believes much of the work lies in finding the right balance between standardisation and flexibility.

"Sites, operating conditions and production goals vary from project to project. Our role is to apply our expertise and experience from other projects to identify solutions that are fit for purpose and proven in practice."

"To succeed with land-based aquaculture, you need to understand how biology, operations and facility design work together at each individual site. That is where successful projects are created," says Tømmerås.

Different challenges from country to country

In recent years, AKVA group has worked on land-based projects under widely varying conditions around the world.

In Iceland, the Laxey project has been shaped by seawater quality, natural filtration and the gradual scaling of production. In China, the company collaborates with Nordic Aqua Partners (NOAP), where AKVA group delivered its first large-scale RAS facility for Atlantic salmon grow-out production. The project has provided valuable experience in developing salmon farming solutions under climatic and biological conditions very different from those traditionally found in the North Atlantic.

In South Korea, AKVA group delivered technology for the country’s first land-based salmon facility. There, training and competence development have been key elements of the project. In Chile, the company took over and continued an ongoing project for Cermaq, while projects in Finnmark present very different requirements related to climate, transportation and execution.

"Experience from one project can be valuable in another, but the solutions must always be adapted to the way fish will be produced at that specific location," says Tømmerås.