GROAQQUA DELIVERS A NEW-DESIGN FEEDING BARGE TO EXPOSED AREA IN ICELAND

GroaQqua delivers a new-design feeding barge to exposed area in Iceland. GroAqua has delivered a 480 ton feeding barge to Icelandic company Háafell. The barge is located in Ísafjørður in Northern Iceland and will be exposed to extreme weather conditions with temperature down to minus 20 degrees.

The feeding barge is custom designed to maximise fuel efficiency to reduce the impact on the environment. A hybrid power supply powers all systems onboard, with generators running only two to four hours per day. This not only improves power efficiency but also reduces fuel usage and lowers carbon emissions and noise pollution.

The new feeding barge was delivered two weeks ahead of schedule.

“GroAqua has a lot of experience in building feeding barges, especially in areas with unpredictable weather and challenging seas.” says Gauti Geirsson, CEO of Háafell. “In this project, they have stepped further and taken icing into account to ensure better stability and safety. Furthermore, we are taking big steps toward more sustainable farming as the barge will be hybrid with a powerful battery package, and it will be prepared for shore power. In addition to this, the barge is prepared for water feeding.”

Designed for the harsh environment in Northern Iceland, the barge can withstand a significant wave height of up to Hs 5,5m even with additional 70 ton of ice on the deck. The hull has double sides, making it more robust and safer to operate while also reducing condensation on the inner walls. It is equipped with 6 feeding lines and a 480 tonnes feed capacity for salmon, and 5 tonnes for lumpfish. All systems onboard are fully automated and remotely controlled from shore.

“We are proud of this new design that we have been working on over the past year.” says Suni Justinussen, CEO of GroAqua. “Our team has worked closely with Háafell on this barge, designed specifically for remote and exposed sites in Northern Iceland.”

GroAqua specialises in facilitating sustainable fish growth with a range of technical solutions to remotely monitor and control the feeding and breeding process – both in seawater and freshwater.