Norwegian researchers known for testing the seaworthiness of oil rigs admit they’re getting a lot of calls from fish farmers in possession of development permits, SalmonBusiness has learned.
“Norway leads the world in the development of large-scale production installations for salmon-farming in exposed localities,” senior SINTEF Ocean researcher, Ivar Nygaard told research chronicler, Gemini.
Nygaard and his team are studying the relationship between large fish sizes, 12-meter ocean waves, steel constructions and a marine grow-outs necessary net covering. An exhaustive study is being made of the frontrunning offshore salmon-farm model, NKS Ship Design’s Havfarm concept for grower Nordlaks.
“It is very challenging to reconcile the interaction between the fixed steel construction and the netting,” said NSK Ship Design’s project leader for Havfarmen, Haakon Aadnanes.
Many more tests of offshore constructions look to be in the pipeline, after a string of concept approvals awarded by Norway’s Fisheries Directorate.
