Important transition in Arctic Seafarm project
The intake pumps will be started imminently at the land-based salmon farm in Norway, where the project is now entering the completion phase ahead of the planned smolt stocking in the autumn
Published
Work on mechanical completion (MC) is now under way at the land-based Arctic Seafarm fish farm in Nesna, where sea-based salmon producer Kvarøy is an owner.
The project is therefore entering a new phase of completion and preparation for commissioning.
"This milestone is very important for the project. MC has been deliberately started at an early stage so that there is sufficient buffer time to handle any deviations," Arctic Seafarm's chief administrative officer Carsten Rimer told LandbasedAQ.
He describes the activity on the construction site as high, with several parallel processes going on simultaneously.
'We are on schedule'
"We are working according to an agreed progress plan that is aligned with the commissioning plan, and the result so far is that we are on schedule overall. We see no obstacles to achieving the progress goals."
When completed, the first phase of the facility will become the world's largest land-based flow-through salmon processing facility, with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes. Artic Seafarm has a concession for 15,000 tonnes maximum allowed biomass, enabling annual production of up to 25,000 tonnes.
At Eyvi, which is the total supplier of the plant in the project, the MC start-up is described as an important step forward.
"The start-up of MC marks the transition from installation to systematic completion and preparation for commissioning. We are now entering a phase of structured verification of the deliveries before the systems are handed over to the next phase," says project manager Vegard Wigstøl.
Close follow-up
Both parties highlight structure, planning, and collaboration as key factors for the progress of the project.
"From day one, project structuring, organisation, planning and a good spirit of collaboration have been the key to getting where we are today," says Rimer.
Wigstøl says that the work in this phase is organised around clearly defined systems and areas of responsibility.
"This provides a structured and efficient follow-up of completion and snagging. All deviations and outstanding activities are followed up continuously in close collaboration with subcontractors and the client."
Regular meeting structures have been established between the contractors and project management.
"We agreed from day one that feedback should be clear and raised so that any ambiguities are resolved. It has worked well," says Rimer.
Cold winter brought challenges
Although the project is going to plan, there have also been challenges along the way.
According to Rimer, the groundwork has been demanding due to the large scale of the project.
"Groundworks are always demanding when such a large area is to be developed, but our ground contractor Syltern has been very skilled in collaboration with the general contractors for construction and process installations."
Eyvi also points to the winter conditions as an additional challenge.
"An unusually cold winter has made it more challenging to maintain progress in certain periods. We have handled this through close follow-up and ongoing coordination between the disciplines," says Wigstøl.
Starting up water intake
The plant is planned to be powered by a hybrid energy solution, based on solar power, hydropower, and energy recovery from the process.
Moving forward, health and safety, snagging, and preparation for commissioning will be the most important tasks. The first major milestone is planned to be achieved by stocking smolt on October 21, 2026.
"We are on track with regard to this milestone," says Rimer.
At the same time, the project is now starting up with water in the systems.
"We look forward to the next phase where the plant is gradually put into operation, and especially the introduction of water into the systems. We will start this week by starting the intake pumps," says Wigstøl.
