Ronja Ode wellboat, which has a cubic volume of 660 m³, has returned to Norway after operating in Chile in recent years.
Photo: Ode.
Last Saturday, October 12, the world's first cod wellboat, named Ronja Ode, was christened in Ålesund. Its launching, say its promoters, "can be described as a historic event for the Norwegian aquaculture industry."
The event - which brought hundreds of people to the port to enjoy the celebration and taste cod dishes - marked the start of a collaboration between two local companies, Ode and Sølvtrans, working together to drive innovation and development in aquaculture.
In their joint release on the christening of the wellboat, Ode and Sølvtrans, have made a special point of noting that their partnership demonstrates how local companies in the Sunnmøre region are leading the global market in aquaculture solutions.
"This collaboration between Sølvtrans and Ode is a great example of how local companies along the coast are world leaders in aquaculture and aquaculture solutions, working closely together to achieve their goals," said Ola Kvalheim, CEO of Ode. "Ronja Ode, as the first wellboat dedicated for cod, will be an excellent addition to our integrated value chain," he added.
Christian Remøy, head of cod operations at Sølvtrans, was also enthusiastic that two local companies have started this "long and important" collaboration in the transport of farmed cod.
"We see cod farming as an innovative and future-oriented industry. The crew and shipping company have worked hard over the past six months to prepare the world's first dedicated wellboat for cod. Sølvtrans hopes Ronja Ode will make a significant contribution to Ode delivering a top-quality product to the market," he stated.
Having a dedicated cod wellboat is a new strategic step for Ode, which this way strengthens its fully integrated value chain from roe to finished products. Based in Ålesund, Norway's leading cod farming company was founded in 2019 and operates five marine farms in addition to its own hatchery and a processing plant in Vartdal. In total, Ode employs around 150 people.
Also based in Ålesund, its partner in the Ronja Ode, Sølvtrans, is the global leader of wellboat services. Founded in 1986, it owns and operates 46 vessels located in the North Sea, Iceland, Canada, Australia, and Chile, and employs some 750 people in total.
Trine Silseth Bergsås, Ode's logistics and sales coordinator, and godmother of the Ronja Ode at the christening ceremony.
Formerly called Frøyhav and later renamed Ronja Settler, the now Ronja Ode has a cubic volume of 660 m³. The wellboat was originally acquired through the purchase of the fish transport vessel company Frøyfisk in 2008. In recent years it has been operating in Chile and has now returned to Norway.
As said, Ronja Ode is the world's first dedicated wellboat for transporting farmed cod and, according to its promoters, represents a significant breakthrough in the development of the cod farming industry in Norway.
At last Saturday's christening ceremony, the godmother was Trine Silseth Bergsås who, the company explained in a LinkedIn post, "has been a key part of the Ode team since 2022." Originally from Ålesund, she joined Ode during its early stages, and since then, she has helped to build the company's logistics department, which now coordinates the production and global distribution of fresh farmed cod.
"I joined Ode because, as someone from Sunnmøre, my love for fish runs deep," she said. "Being part of developing a value chain from A to Z – from the first samples to full-scale production – has been incredibly rewarding. We work with an amazing product, but it's the people at Ode that make every day exciting. We constantly challenge each other, finding solutions to even the toughest tasks."
"Producing high-quality cod from juvenile to products takes time. But once the fish is picked up by the wellboat, the rest of the journey must be swift. That's why, in the logistics department, we take great pride in delivering the fish to our customers efficiently and safely," the godmother of Ronja Ode continued.
"This is a strategic step, and having a vessel dedicated to cod strengthens our entire value chain. It’s going to be fantastic!" she concluded.