“For us in Sølvtrans, it is important to build boats of the highest quality and to have the absolutely best equipment for handling fish. When we can combine this with creating value and important jobs locally, it becomes a win-win situation” says Roger Halsebakk.
Securing value and quality together
MMC First Process has been selected as the supplier of live fish handling systems for Sølvtrans’s future vessels. This applies to the continuation of the comprehensive newbuild programme commissioned by Sølvtrans in local shipyards in the region. The newbuild programme includes 19 boats and a total value for MMC First Process in the order of NOK 1 billion.
Petter Leon Fauske, CEO of MMC First Process, is pleased about this contract. Fauske says that the company’s long-term investment in developing solutions for the aquaculture industry is now producing results. Roger Halsebakk, CEO of Sølvtrans, says that MMC First Process was selected because of the company’s extensive experience and expertise in handling large, live fish on board well boats. “MMC First Process is a company we already know well from previous deliveries of top-quality equipment”, says Halsebakk.
“For us in Sølvtrans, it is important to build boats of the highest quality and to have the absolutely best equipment for handling fish. When we can combine this with creating value and important jobs locally, it becomes a win-win situation” says Halsebakk.
Local ripple effects
“Sølvtrans’s comprehensive newbuild programme has big ripple effects in the region,” says Roger Halsebakk and stresses that the company sees this as both intentional and desirable.
“For us, signing this contract with MMC First Process successfully combines purchase of the very best fish-handling equipment with local value creation and making the maximum effort to safeguard fish welfare. This is the essence of the well boat business.
The strategic agreement between Sølvtrans and MMC First Process, combined with using local shipyards, shows that we take our local roots seriously. Not least, we are building up a leading cluster of expertise in Sunnmøre that will help to develop the whole industry”, says Halsebakk.
Leaders in large, live fish handling
“MMC First Process is the leading player in the global market for handling large, live salmon and trout in the aquaculture industry,” says Frank Edvard Vike, CSO in MMC First Process. He emphasises the importance of this market position and the company’s large reservoir of expertise in underpinning the agreement.
“It is important for us to be at the top of the tree for biosecurity, fish health and fish welfare. We also deliver in accordance with the UN sustainability goals and contribute significantly to creating value and important jobs locally,” says operations manager Robin Halsebakk.
Collaboration and social responsibility
“Sølvtrans builds its boats and purchases the great majority of its on-board equipment locally, as it is here that we can be sure of finding the right expertise, quality and security of supply to meet our strict requirements. We want the best and most innovative equipment on board and the labour force on our boats, mainly recruited in Norway, is skilled in its use,” says Robin Halsebakk.
“We shall work together to make our customers the best in the world at sustainable management of marine food resources. We have worked successfully with Sølvtrans for many years and this strategic agreement is a hugely important recognition of our long-term focus and not least the quality of our solutions. It is all thanks to the expertise and team spirit of our employees,” says Fauske.
“We shall work together to create value and quality for both our customers and the community,” says Roger Halsebakk.
Photo enclosed: From left: Robin Halsebakk, Roger Halsebakk, Petter Leon Fauske, Frank Edvard Vike.
