EcoFishCircle agrees deal to supply 10,000-tonne Saudi salmon RAS

Land-based fish farming innovator EcoFishCircle AS (EFC) has signed a comprehensive letter of intent with Hayal International Company LLC regarding the delivery of a modular recirculating aquaculture system (mRAS) and development of a land-based salmon farming facility in Saudi Arabia.

EFC stocked 70,000 salmon in its own post-smolt facility at Hausvik in Lyngdal, south Norway, in early December last year. EFC subsidiary Lista Laks also has planning permission for a 6,000 tonne land-based salmon farm at a business park at Lista in Farsund municipality, also in south Norway.

The project in Saudi Arabia is part of Saudi Vision 2030, which includes an ambition by the country's ruling royal family to build a significant land-based aquaculture industry. The facility is planned with a production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon per year, and will operate under the name Blue Oasis.

“We are very pleased to be able to enter into this collaboration with Hayal. The partnership is the result of a thorough and constructive process,” EFC chief executive Daniel Jakobsen said in a press release.

Modular RAS solution

According to the company, the project will be based on EcoFishCircle's modular mRAS solution.

“By combining our technical expertise with the capabilities of our partner, we facilitate the rollout of our modular mRAS solution,” said EFC commercial director Henrik Kjevik Olsen.

The parties are now moving forward with the development of the facility.

Start planned for 2026

According to Fædrelandsvennen, a regional newspaper based in the southern Norway city of Kristiansand, construction is planned to start this year. The facility will consist of 39 mRAS tanks supplied by EcoFishCircle.

“This clearly means significant revenue for us,” Jakobsen told Fædrelandsvennen.

He didn’t reveal the monetary value of the agreement, but stated that the delivery will contribute to increased activity and turnover.

“Norway and several other countries have set a goal to significantly increase seafood production. We believe this is not possible in an environmentally sound manner without land-based solutions,” said EFC chairman Terje Mikalsen.