Norwegian marine engineering firm AqualisBraemer has signed a memorandum of understanding with a major Chinese research institute, finding a market for its expertise in China’s expansion of its offshore aquaculture industry.
AqualisBraemar and the East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (ECSFRI), a part of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, signed the MoU virtually this month, agreeing to collaborate in the research and development of offshore aquaculture concepts and solutions.
“The scope of cooperation includes the research and development of equipment, engineering, fish-farming, and interrelated technologies relevant to offshore aquaculture,” AqualisBraemar said in a press release.
Asked about the areas of expertise that the firm sees underserved in the Chinese offshore cage aquaculture industry, company spokesperson Endre Johansen told SeafoodSource the company has already been active on the engineering side of major offshore farms like Havfarm, which was built in a Chinese shipyard for Norwegian clients.
“AqualisBraemar’s expertise is in fish-farm design engineering, construction management, transportation, and positioning installation,” Johansen said. “For example, AqualisBraemar provided load master and engineering support for load-out and transportation, while AqualisBraemar’s subsidiary company, LOC, provided marine warranty services in connection with the Havfarm project.”
The MoU with the East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute came about after Yongfei Peng, AqualisBraemar’s country manager in China, visited ECSFRI to discuss potential cooperation on fish-farm projects in China. The MoU came at ECSFRI’s suggestion during one of the meetings between the parties, Johansen said.
“AqualisBraemar will work with any company that needs support, including individual companies and state institutions,” Johansen said.
ECSFRI-CAFS is engaged in fisheries research and has played a significant role in developing China's offshore aquaculture technology.
“The world’s rapidly-growing population needs more proteins, and fish and seafood can provide this. To achieve this objective, the aquaculture sector must become even more sustainable, from a cost, environmental, and fish health perspective. Our partnership with AqualisBraemar LOC will seek to solve some of these issues,” ECSFRI-CAFS Vice President Wang Lumin said in a statement.
Photo courtesy of AqualisBraemer
