SeafoodSource is closely following seafood processing and equipment innovation by compiling a regular round-up of updates from the sector. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
- Fosnavåg, Norway-based industrial equipment supplier MMC First Process has signed an agreement to deliver a complete thawing hub to ICEFRESH in Los Angeles, the first in the U.S.
MMC said in a release that the facility will open in early 2026 and have capacity to thaw up to 30 tons of seafood a day.
MMC First Process Sales Manager Roy Glomset called it a “real game changer” for his business.
The agreement is the result of two years of collaboration between MMC First Process, Ålesund, Norway-headquartered vertically integrated seafood company Hofseth; and Bergen, Norway-based ICEFRESH, a subsidiary of Hofseth. The companies have worked to develop a thawing tunnel that would reduce emissions and guard against market fluctuations, since it would mean that fish delivered from overseas would only need to be thawed the day before it was sold in the U.S.
The design is the product of 20 years of development at ICEFRESH, which has worked on solutions to thaw frozen seafood quickly and sustainably without quality loss. The companies said that by thawing fish on location in the U.S., they hope “to change how seafood is distributed globally by reducing the need for air freight, resulting in a significantly lower climate footprint.”
– Chennai, India-based aquaculture technology company Aquaconnect has launched a new digital platform for seafood quality inspection.
Called BluTik, Aquaconnect said the new platform digitizes the often lengthy quality control process, bringing together documentation digitally in one place, and giving buyers traceability and quality information that was previously hard to track down.
“Today, seafood sourcing demands more than just supply – it demands transparency, speed, and consistency," Aquaconnect Chief Growth Officer Arpan Bhalerao said in a release. "Our goal is to elevate the sourcing of traceable, verifiable seafood and offer food choices that align with the values of sustainability-conscious consumers."
The company uses technology to support over 850 shrimp and fish farmers across India, which it terms its “AquaPartners.” The partnership allows rural producers to draw on Aquaconnect’s strategically-located fulfillment centers and logistics infrastructure, as well as its technology products.
In April, Aquaconnect announced that it would invest USD 4.5 million (EUR 3.9 million) in research into biological solutions for shrimp and fish farmers.
The company is supported by investors Lok Capital, Louis Dreyfus Company Ventures, Suneight Investment, Omnivore, Rebright Partners, Flourish Ventures, and HATCH, among others.
– Inverness, Scotland-based aquaculture and seafood sector supplier Gael Force Group has completed its installation of a SeaQure range for Ísafjörður, Iceland-based rainbow trout farm Hábrún.
SeaQure is a complete fish farming system designed to work in harsh ocean conditions. It includes what the company terms a SeaQureMoor mooring grid, as well as SeaQure-branded containment nets and bird nets, which the company said “combine lightweight construction with high breaking strength to deliver outstanding containment performance and effective protection from predators.”
In a release about the installation, a Hábrún representative said that Gael Force’s equipment "gives us great confidence in the resilience of our containment system, which is essential for operating in the demanding conditions of our environment.”
