There may be opportunities in China for AKVA group Land Based beyond NOAP's facility, pictured.

Photo: Nordic Aqua Partners

AKVA closes in on new contract in China

The company's Land Based division has provided the technology for Nordic Aqua Partners' RAS facility in Ningbo, and is optimistic about a deal with another player in the country.

Pål Mugaas Jensen Pål Mugaas Jensen Pål Mugaas Jensen editor-in-chief

Published February 13, 2026 - 3:30 p.m.

AKVA group Land Based had sales in 2025 of approximately NOK 1.2 billion (£92.5 million), twice the NOK 600m earned in 2024.

"There is positive momentum within land-based," said AKVA group chief executive Knut Nesse said at today's presentation of Q4 figures.

These figures include five or six larger projects, all with over NOK 100 million in revenue.

“We have a lot of customers who come back to us. I would say we have six or seven customers who are stable within this segment,” he said.

He highlighted post-smolt producer Tytlandsvik Aqua, which AKVA has been involved with from the start and which is currently aiming to expand capacity of it land-based facility to 9,000 tonnes.

Nordic Aqua Partners

AKVA has also been involved from the start with the Nordic Aqua Partners (NOAP) salmon facility in Ningbo, China. NOAP is now growing fish in phase 2 of the recirculating aquacuture system (RAS) facility, and expects to start phase 3 at the end of this year or the beginning of next, said Nesse. Salmon farmers Laxey, in Iceland, and Canadian-headquartered Cooke were also highlighted.

AKVA CEO Knut Nesse and CFO Ronny Meinkøhn present the Q4 2025 results.

According to Nesse, growth in 2025 was greater than expected.

He was a little more uncertain about whether the growth would continue in 2026.

"Over time, we expect a further increase. 2026 may be more like 2025, but in 2027 we expect growth. There are some 'cases' we are working on that may be able to lift us further. Among other things, we believe that we will close a larger post-smolt contract now in Q1," he said.

And then he added: "We hope to sign a contract in China this year, which is not NOAP. We are working on this, so we will see if it materialises. Such contracts in China are large and complex, not least when it comes to the legal part. We need to have a 100% solid base before we get started. But the ambition to sign a contract this year is there."