Cermaq seeks 13 development licenses for FlexiFarm with infection-preventing water treatment

Cermaq is striving to be at the forefront of technological advancements that promote sustainable food production. FlexiFarm, a floating closed containment system, enhances the benefits of aquaculture in coastal regions while addressing issues raised by various stakeholders including politicians, authorities, NGOs, customers, and the industry itself. FlexiFarm uses flow-through technology to elevate closed containment systems to a new level by treating water for all infections before it enters the containment. The objective of FlexiFarm is to minimize losses in sea production, safeguard the environment from unwanted effects, boost productivity, and simultaneously lower production costs. Cermaq is committed to innovations that enhance sustainable farming in existing coastal locations. This commitment is evident in the FlexiFarm concept and the iFarm concept for individualized farming. Cermaq's expertise in farming technology and fish health, coupled with its excellent conditions, make it well-positioned to succeed in these ambitious innovations, according to Knut Ellekjær, Managing Director of Cermaq Norway. Once fully developed, FlexiFarm could be utilized in over 80% of existing sites in Norway, based on maximum wave heights. This means that FlexiFarm could enhance the competitiveness of existing operations and ensure future value creation in coastal areas. Magnus Stendal, general manager at Botngaard System AS, emphasizes that a key goal for FlexiFarm's development is to keep investment and operational costs low, while ensuring that the expected effect will reduce the production cost per kg of salmon. In FlexiFarm, water inflow is first filtered and then treated with UV light to prevent the intake of lice, algae, bacteria, and viruses. Harald Takle, R&D Technology Manager in Cermaq Group, states that the biggest challenge for Norwegian salmon farming is the losses during sea production, primarily due to pathogens and treatments against sea lice. By treating water inflow for all pathogens and lice, they aim to significantly reduce fish losses. They have designed a solution that addresses both biological and environmental challenges in the industry, and is also profitable to implement. FlexiFarm goes beyond semi-closed to closed containment, ensuring no lice or infections within the containment and no lice or infections released from the containment. The containment's wall will be made of a flexible composite that is escape-proof and requires no maintenance during the production cycle. FlexiFarm will also have a system to grind and disperse sludge to prevent point loads beneath the farming sites. The discharge of organic material can be adjusted to the area's capacity. By grinding the sludge, no whole feed pellets will be discharged from the containment. FlexiFarm will also have the ability to collect the sludge, which will then pass through a filter where the sludge will be collected and transported to shore for further processing. Cermaq, in collaboration with Botngaard System, Xylem, and Serge Ferrari as technology suppliers, developed FlexiFarm. Cermaq, a fully owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, is one of the world's leading companies in salmon and trout farming, with operations in Norway, Chile, and Canada. Its head office is in Oslo, Norway.