Sterner has signed a deal with the Egyptian authorities for the construction of a land-based aquaculture centre with an annual production volume of 25,000 tonnes at Ain Sokhna by the Red Sea.
The 350,000m2 centre, 140km from Cairo, will manage the entire growing lifecycle from roe through to filleting and packaging of fish matured in their own process systems. The development also includes a new university to promote competence in aquaculture.
“What we have achieved together with the Egyptian authorities is incredibly exciting,” said Bjarne E Pettersen, managing director for Sterner. “This project shows specifically how aquaculture is positively contributing to the development of society, and that Norwegian technology is sought after in the international market,” he added.
Egypt is the world’s sixth largest seafood producing nation with a long tradition in aquaculture. The new centre will help the local community, creating 1,000 new jobs in the region and contributing to the economy through the export of seafood to the international market.
Sustainability will be at the forefront of the development. All production will be on land with no impact on the marine environment. The fish faeces, known as sludge, and leftover feed will be used to produce biogas to power the aquaculture process with the spent sludge then used as fertiliser. Sterner is also discussing the possibility of a 200,000m2 solar energy park at the site.
