World's largest feed barge commissioned by Bakkafrost

Bakkafrost has entered into an agreement with aquaculture supplier and fish feeding specialist GroAqua for the construction of what will be the world's largest feed barge, the technology company has announced.

The vessel, expected to be delivered by summer 2025, is designed to contain 1,100 tonnes of feed, with 24 feed lines enabling simultaneous feeding of 24 pens. GroAqua has announced it will also be fitted with the firm's latest technology, "GroVision", for automatic and unmanned operations.

The vessel is designed to operate in exposed locations and under harsh weather conditions, and its large capacity means it does not need to be restocked as frequently as smaller capacity barges, reducing the risk of disruption to feeding in remote sites, GroAqua indicated.

The feed barge is the second such vessel Bakkafrost has commissioned from GroAqua, according to the company.

Headquartered in the Faroe Islands, GroAqua also operates in Poland, Scotland, and Norway, and employs 100 staff members, and was formerly known as JT Electric until its rebranding as GroAqua in 2023, with the move described at the time by CEO Suni Justinussen as supporting the company's strategy "to be one of the leading suppliers of fish growth solutions to the aquaculture industry".

The company acquired British aquaculture and water treatment supplier Sterner AquaTech UK in 2020, and in January 2024, GroAqua merged with Havida, a Norwegian aquatech company specialising in sensing and technological control in aquaculture operations.