China delivers world’s largest aquaculture facility to Norway

The world’s largest aquaculture support vessel has been delivered by China to Norwegian customers in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province on June 3, 2017. 

Built by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co. Ltd. of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, it represents the most advanced fish farming technology currently available in the world.

The customer, the Norwegian fish farming company SalMar ASA, is one of the world's largest salmon producing and processing companies. The ship maker signed a contract in April with SalMar to add another five of the smart aquaculture support vessels. 

Yan Jun, deputy chief engineer of Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co. Ltd., said the vessel is the world's first fully automated aquaculture support vessel. Its smart aquaculture system can automatically release fish fry and perform feeding, environmental monitoring, cleaning and removal of dead fish.

The vessel, which is 69 meters high, 110 meters in diameter, and can resist a force 12 typhoon, is designed to last for 25 years.

It can breed 1.5 million fish each year, and limit the death rate of fish to less than 2%. 

The successful delivery of the semi-submersible support vessel is regarded as a successful outcome of the China inspired Belt and Road Initiative, which sees more than 60 countries around the world coming together in trade, infrastructure and cultural cooperation.