This move has halved the Faroese salmon farmer’s total emissions.
Faroe Islands-based salmon farmer Hiddenfjord today marks a significant environmental milestone, having eliminated air freight in favor of sustainable sea shipping, resulting in a reduction of over 200,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions in three years.
Hiddenfjord is the first and only company in the aquaculture industry to completely stop distribution by air.
This pioneering move has halved Hiddenfjord’s total emissions. The saved CO2 is comparable to the cumulative emissions from all vehicles and households in the Faroe Islands in 2022, according to data from Statistics Faroe Islands.
The transition to sea freight presented notable challenges, including potential market losses in Asia and North America due to extended shipping times.
Hiddenfjord’s innovative processing and cooling system has not only preserved but enhanced the quality and shelf life of their salmon, according to Hiddenfjord CEO and co-owner Atli Gregersen, who emphasised the moral imperative of the initiative.
“Transporting food by air is simply unethical. Full stop,” he said.
Salmon should swim, not fly from Hiddenfjord on Vimeo.
Gregersen was inspired to take definitive action following a lecture on climate change called “Making a Difference” held in the Faroe Islands by musician and political activist Bob Geldof.
“Geldof said, ‘Pondering too long about the pros and cons of an initiative will not make anything happen. Take action! Then things will become much clearer, and you will put all your energy into finding solutions and achieving your goals’,” said the Hiddenfjord CEO.
The move by the Faroese producer has led to a substantial increase in its US customer base and strong endorsements from European clients, though the Asian market remains a challenge. It has also become the model by which many of the new Icelandic producers building land-based facilities plan to service both American and European clients.
Read more: Thor MD says Iceland’s land-based salmon hub lacks just one crucial ingredient: People
Details of Hiddenfjord’s ongoing sustainability efforts are outlined in their latest Sustainability Report.
