THE CHRISTENING OF RONJA ODE – THE WORLD’S FIRST WELLBOAT FOR FARMED COD

The christening of Ronja Ode – the world’s first wellboat for farmed cod. In what can be described as an historic event for the Norwegian aquaculture industry, the wellboat Ronja Ode was christened Ålesund on October 12th. This marked the beginning of a unique collaboration between the two local companies, Ode and Sølvtrans, which are working together to drive innovation and development in aquaculture.

Ronja Ode is the world’s first dedicated wellboat for transporting farmed cod and represents a significant step forward in the development of the cod farming industry. The boat is the result of a close collaboration between Sølvtrans, a leading wellboat company, and Ode, the Norwegian cod farmer. This partnership demonstrates how local companies from the Sunnmøre region are leading the global market for aquaculture solutions.

A Milestone for Norwegian Aquaculture and Local Collaboration

“This collaboration between Sølvtrans and Ode is a great example of how local companies along the coast are world leaders in aquaculture and aquaculture solutions, working closely together to achieve their goals. Ronja Ode, as the first well boat dedicated for cod, will be an excellent addition to our integrated value chain. – Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode. Christian Remøy, head of cod operations at Sølvtrans, shared the excitement:

“Sølvtrans is very pleased that two local companies, Ode and Sølvtrans, have started a long and important collaboration in the transport of farmed cod. We see cod farming as an innovative and future-oriented industry. The crew and shipping company have worked hard over the past six months to prepare the world’s first dedicated wellboat for cod. Sølvtrans hopes Ronja Ode will make a significant contribution to Ode delivering a top-quality product to the market.

Many Attended the Celebration

Several hundred people gathered at the pier to witness the christening of the boat. Traditional sea shanties were sung by the local male choir, Dovre. Delicious cod dishes were served, and there were competitions arranged for the children present. During the ceremony, there were speeches from Robin Halsebakk, CEO of Sølvtrans, Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode, and Håkon Lykkebø Strand, Mayor of Ålesund. The godmother of the boat was Trine Silseth Bergsås, who works as a logistics and sales coordinator at Ode.

About Sølvtrans

Sølvtrans was established in 1986 and is the global leader of wellboat services. Sølvtrans own and operate 46 vessels that is located in North Sea, Iceland, Canada, Australia and Chile. The headquarter is in Aalesund. In total, Sølvtrans employs around 750 people.

About Ode

Ode was established in 2019 and is Norway’s leading cod farming company, with a fully integrated value chain from roe to finished products. The company operates five sea farms, in addition to its own hatchery, a processing plant in Vartdal, and its headquarters in Ålesund. In total, Ode employs around 150 people.

About the Vessel

The well-boat was formerly named Frøyhav, later renamed Ronja Settler. The vessel, that has a cubic volume of 660 m³, was originally bought trough the acquisition of the wellboat company Frøyfisk in 2008. It has been operating in Chile in recent years. Now, it has returned to Norway.