Live Stor of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada has announced a partnership with Leader in Green Assets (LIG Assets) that will create a new company devoted to live seafood storage and shipping.
Live Stor's American division plans to create facilities in both Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Maine, U.S.A that would store up to one million pounds (453,000 kilograms) of live lobsters. The plan would be a key part of the company’s goal to ship live lobsters to distant locations at a reduced price.
“Live Stor America will be setting up a million-pound live-holding system operation in the Portland, Maine area and the Seattle, Washington area to support import and export of live seafood from America, Europe and Asia,” wrote LIG Assets in a release. “LIGA's Live Stor America operation will be based on the new live-holding facility technology that is currently under construction at the first facility (Live Stor Sydney), which is located at 440 Keltic Drive in Sydney River, Nova Scotia, Canada.”
According to a report in the Portland Press Herald, the company plans to test a 3,500-pound (1,587-kilogram) system at its proposed Maine location over this summer. Once the technology has been proven, Live Stor America hopes to build its distribution center.
The holding and distribution centers would provide storage for the lobsters before they are shipped across the world. Live Stor America plans to use new shipping methods to live-ship lobsters over slower periods of time. Typically shipped via airplane, Live Stor America claims that the new method would be cheaper and have reduced lobster mortality.
"Using this new innovative system of live seafood transport and storage enables live seafood to be kept in as close to its natural environment as possible,” LIG Assets CEO Allan Gillis said. “The goal is to create a North American collection and distribution network of live seafood that will be disruptive to the air cargo industry.”
The company’s Nova Scotia, Canada based facility is already under construction. Planned as a 250,000 pound (113,400 kilogram) live storage facility – designed by BioNovations of Antigonish, Nova Scotia – the facility should be operational by May, Live Stor said.
“Live Ship expects to have the first five 53-foot road trailers operational by late 2018 for live seafood transport anywhere in North America and has ordered the first two of a 120-order of 40-foot specialized sea containers for transport of live lobster or snow crab to Europe or Asia by sea via container vessels,” LIG Assets wrote.
Eventually, the goal is to have the two distribution hubs shipping live lobsters or other seafood across the globe at reduced cost, the company said.
