Norwegian aquaculture technology supplier Fjord Maritime has won a contract to convert an oil platform supply vessel (PSV) to a containerised battery powered live fish carrier (LFC).
Fjord Maritime struck the deal in partnership with Andorra-based marine battery maker AYK Energy, which has developed a special containerised battery solution for the Firda Seafood Group-owned vessel.
Firda is the leading producer of fjord trout in western Norway.
The DNV Class approved 1MWh Energy Storage Solution (ESS) will be fitted into a standard sized 20-foot container along with Fjord Maritime’s Fjord Hybrid solution. The container will be equipped with all necessary safety and auxiliary systems.
The conversion is taking place at Norse Shipyard in Turkey.
“As a business, we are growing rapidly, led by our vision of ‘Driving the Green Revolution’. We have long-term relationship with Firda, which has put sustainability and fish welfare at the heart of all its operations. The demand for state-of-the-art equipment is growing across aquaculture as business like Firda look to grow in a sustainable and safe way. Our solutions contribute to that with increased efficiency, safe operation and reduced emissions,” Fjord Maritime CEO Vidar Rabben said.
AYK Energy’s Global Sales Director Ed Carney said the project underlines the company’s position as emerging manufacturers of safe, sustainable and high-quality marine battery systems.
“AYK has created what we consider to be the best containerised battery solution in the maritime industry. Containerised batteries will be one of the biggest innovations in the maritime industry in the next five to 10 years specifically for the workboat, offshore, inland waterways and short sea shipping sector. The AYK containerised battery is safe, highly-efficient and competitively priced.
“Containerised batteries have multiple benefits. They can be installed easily on deck without taking space below deck and incurring complex battery room safety requirements. Furthermore, the retrofit process is simple and does not require the vessel to be out of service for very long. When operational the batteries can also then be swopped around with fully-charged replacements quickly at shore side charging centres. In addition, the containerised power solution is future proof. When a new more powerful battery technology is developed, or a different form of power is introduced, the container can be adapted for that purpose.”
Fjord Maritime is a leading provider of smart grid energy solutions for the aquaculture sector. The company has a long-established position in delivering sustainable and cost-effective climate technology with approximately 150 systems in operation.
AYK Energy has built and shipped over 15MWh of batteries to Europe over the last year. The company’s next move will be to set up manufacturing centres in the US and Europe in 2024.
