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 seafood industry equipment provider MMC First Process has announced the development of an energy-efficient circulation system for wellboats.
The company said the product, dubbed Aqu Green Circ, will help address Norway’s need for a renewal of its wellboat fleet.
MMC First Process Chief Sales Officer of Handling Frank Edvard Vike said that the new product “confirm[s] our position as a leading player in fish handling technology.”
“We are proud to be able to deliver a system that not only improves fish welfare but also contributes to increased profitability and sustainability for our customers,” he said. “Our goal is to constantly develop solutions that set new standards.”
The patented design was produced in collaboration with Bergen, Norway-headquartered aquaculture pump supplier Framo Aquaculture.
Vike said that the new system will not entirely eliminate the need for traditional wellboat pumps but will drastically limit the environmental footprint of the nation’s wellboat fleet by reducing energy requirements during wellboat transport and processing.
Another benefit of the new system, the company said, is that it uses less piping than traditional systems, saving shipyards money and time during installations and creating more space for fish and boat equipment.
Framo Aquaculture CEO Terje Ljones said that the project succeeded because both suppliers sought true collaboration.
“MMC First Process has not only purchased pumps from Framo; they have involved us early in the process and let us contribute our technology, expertise, and, not least, experience,” he said. “This makes room for the really good solutions that change ‘standards’ in the industry.”
– Eagle Product Inspection has launched the Eagle Pack 400 HC, a new contamination-detection system.
The Lutz, Florida, U.S.A.-based company makes X-ray inspection systems for food processors and producers, and its new product is designed specifically for use in facilities with harsh washdown environments that have to maintain both extremely high hygienic standards and store digital information for auditing and other regulatory purposes.
Food safety regulations, the company said, are becoming more stringent, but the technologically advanced equipment needed to meet these standards is often not designed to operate in harsh, wet, or cold environments.
The Pack 400 HC was developed to respond to the challenges of contamination detection and audit preparedness in such facilities.
The new system uses photon-counting dual energy technology to identify contaminants and bone fragments, which the company said are often missed by traditional X-ray inspection technology.
It is also capable of running inline product checks to maintain quality, can weigh and count items, and identify missing elements, among other features.
