Austevoll Seafood ASA has agreed to purchase a 140m Whooshh Innovations fish transport system for its Atlantic salmon processing plant in Storebø, Norway, Austevoll Laksepakkeri AS.

The system, which will be installed by Stette AS, is twice the length of the Whooshh pilot system installed last year at Vikenco AS, in Aukra, Norway.

According to Stette AS Managing Director, Peder Stette, Austevoll plans to use the Whooshh System to transport the fish directly from the slaughter/gutting line to a filleting station by means of an above‐ground system that will transport (“whooshh”) the fish through the 140m in less than 30 seconds. The system will be suspended from the ceiling - 4m off the floor - saving valuable floor space in the plant.

Mr Stette noted that, in addition to reducing the footprint of the processing plant, this configuration brings the added benefits of improving safety by decreasing forklift traffic in tight quarters and also assuring the salmon reach their destination with minimum handling and within a closed system that assures hygienic transport.

Whooshh Innovations CEO, Vincent Bryan III, said the time is right for seafood producers to adopt new and innovative ways to cut costs and increase efficiencies, particularly in processing.

“Increasingly, the global seafood industry is looking for ways to streamline production processes as well as find innovative ways to move their valuable product, whether live or mort,” Mr Bryan said. “We’re pleased that Austevoll has chosen the Whooshh System not only as a way to save space in the plant but also as a way to improve efficiencies - such as moving away from labour‐intensive steps that include loading salmon into totes, covering the product in ice, transporting with forklifts, and then unloading everything again.”

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