Faroese salmon farmer is shipping its produce directly to the States courtesy of its own air cargo service.
FarCargo P/F, a Bakkafrost subsidiary, has closed a deal to purchase a Boeing 757-200 aircraft, in order to freight its own salmon from the Faroe Islands to the USA.
”This is a new chapter in Faroese trade history. The aim is to deliver fresh high-quality salmon both in the USA, Israel and other remote markets a mere day after the fish swims in Faroese fjords,” said Regin Jacobsen, CEO at Bakkafrost.
”With this much shorter route, we will provide our customers with the freshest product on the market.”
Multiple advantages
FarCargo has partnered with Swedish-based company West Atlantic to administrate all flight permits. FarCargo plans to take over all administration of permits and flight services in a few years. For now, ten crew members have been recruited and employed permanently by the company.
Mr Jacobsen said that the air cargo service, in conjunction with the company’s US processing plant in New Jersey, will provide American customers with the best service possible.
He said that compared to the current transportation routes through various airfields in Europe, the new route will ensure prolonged shelf-life due to shortened transportation, an unbroken cooling chain and reduction in GHG emissions.
There’s other advantages to setting up the route too.
The 47-metre plane has a flight range of 7,000 kilometers and is able to carry some 35 tonnes of cargo.
FarCargo will offer both Faroese and international businesses to buy cargo space on board the plane. The company hopes the Faroese market will benefit from the new direct route and that this will provide new opportunities in the Faroe Islands.
The maiden trip is planned to take place in two to three months. Initially, the plane will fly between Vágar, the Faroe Islands and New York, US.
