Novel closed-cage system for high-value marine aquaculture

Project Information

NEPTUN

Grant agreement ID: 778453

DOI

10.3030/778453

Project closed

EC signature date 10 July 2017

Start date 1 August 2017

End date 31 December 2020

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 2 686 875,00

EU contribution

€ 1 880 812,00

Coordinated by

AQUAFARM EQUIPMENT AS
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - NEPTUN (Novel closed-cage system for high-value marine aquaculture)

Reporting period: 2019-12-01 to 2020-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The overall vision of the NEPTUN project is to upscale, pilot, and commercialise our patented Closed-Cage Aquaculture System [CCAS] for sustainable and cost-effective inshore aquaculture.

EU INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIETAL PROBLEMS:
The intensification of aquaculture raises concerns about its environmental and social impacts, mainly for marine applications. The current standard approach, Open-cage Aquaculture Systems [OAS], use floating enclosures permeable to the surrounding sea. The high number of fish confined in them provides excellent conditions for marine parasite growth and transmission within the nets and towards the local environment. This requires extensive use of pharmaceutical and pesticides (also to prevent algae growth on the net), which along with fish sewage (excrement and uneaten feed) contaminates the nearby sea and seabed, leading to eutrophication of the marine environment.
Governments have implemented stricter licencing systems limiting the number of operational sea sites and the maximum allowable biomass per licence [MAB], and requiring thorough procedures for escape prevention and pesticide use. While crucial to safeguarding the environment, these measures impact the profitability and productivity of the industry, and restrict the availability of sea sites for aquaculture, which is currently the main barrier to further expanding production.

OUR SOLUTION:
NEPTUN is a novel Closed-Cage Aquaculture System [CCAS] that combines a fully impermeable and durable fibreglass enclosure with an innovative hatch technology, patented by Aquafarm Equipment AS [AFE] (NO332955B1, granted 11/2/2013). Our system eliminates fish escapes and the need for chemical treatment to prevent sea lice infestation and algae growth (NEPTUN incorporates sophisticated oxygenation and water treatment subsystems to regulate water intake, giving full control over operations and against pathogen growth). NEPTUN is a CCAS solution capable of inhabiting 1000T fish, securing safe solid waste removal, reducing mortality rate down and feed costs, allowing adult fish densities of 50 kg/m3 (current limits for AS farming in OAS: 25kg/m3) without further depleting marine ecosystems.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

NEPTUN’s work plan spanned 41 months and consisted of six work packages (WPs) divided between two technology maturation WPs (WP 1-2) running parallel with three market maturation WPs (WP 3-5) with data and analyses from these five feeding into WP6 - Innovation Management – that supported all activities.
The project activities mainly focus on:

1. Finalizing our prototype to elevate NEPTUN from current TRL7 toTRL8. This include design and engineering of the system to achieve a environmental capacity of Hs = 2 metres, integration of water treatment systems and associated electric and instrumentation systems.

2. Ensuring that the entire NEPTUN supply chain is prepared and optimised to handle the increased sales expected when introducing our product in the market. In specific, we: 1) consolidated and strengthened our upstream supply chain to ensure a constant supply of components sustaining the manufacturing of new NEPTUN units as we grow, 2) build a downstream sales network supporting our internationalisation objectives, and 3) implement internal changes in AFE increasing manufacturing our capacity.

3. Updating the outcomes of our in-house Feasibility Study by continually monitoring and analysing current and future markets for NEPTUN, including the competitive landscape. Costs estimations have been finalised to confirm the project’s commercial viability, while securing post-project funding and monitoring relevant standards and regulations.

4. Ensuring widespread communication and dissemination of the project activities to a broad range of stakeholders, and to exploit NEPTUN results to advance our CP and secure NEPTUN business opportunity.

The main overall objective of this project to bring the innovative Closed Cage Aquaculture System (CCAS) Neptun 4 from TRL7 to TRL8 and introduce it to the market has been successfully achieved. The result is a fully functioning CCAS, able to cultivate Atlantic Salmon (AS) whilst reducing environmental impact by avoiding fish escape, interaction with parasites and pathogens. The core of our technology is a floating cage in GRP with walkways and rails on deck, with eight respective water intake systems integrated in the bulkheads. The extent of equipment integrated in the collar is pumps, UV reactors, particle filters, bilge pumps, and oxygenation equipment. The circular configuration follows a pattern which ensures homogenous distribution of weight and buoyancy, in addition to an optimal angling for the water inlet channels to induce an internal circulation of water which enhances the swimming conditions for the fish.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

There are three key novelties that make NEPTUN the unbeatable solution responding to the industry and user needs:

1. Robust, versatile design: NEPTUN is built with impermeable and highly durable (corrosion free & low maintenance) Glass Reinforced Polyester [GRP] to endure high stress levels under adverse weather conditions. The unit is made from panels that are laminated together making the joints able to meet all the mechanical requirements and reduce the risk of escapes according to standard NS9415:2009/NYTEK. The construction is DNV-GL approved and certified which provides an incontestable quality stamp on the product.

2. Stable operations: NEPTUN offers higher levels of production control through the whole grow-out cycle, incl.:
- Efficient monitoring and regulation of O2 concentration in intake water, to reduce fish mortality.
- A variable-depth water intake (between 25 to 35m deep) enabling operations at constant temperature (without external heating) and thus the capacity to balance fish quality and growth rate. As water intake is pumped from a depth not normally inhabited by sea lice and other organisms, NEPTUN prevents parasite infestation, and reduces the associated economic cost.
- The stream induced by the pumps and our patented hatch system simulates sea currents, and ensures continuous water flow within the cage for optimal swimming velocity and motion (i.e. optimal fish health). In addition, the system inhibits surface colonisation by algae.
- Water treatment system consisting of filter and UV treatment system to enhance water quality and fish welfare.

3. Environmental friendliness: NEPTUN significantly reduces the environmental impact of fish farming by avoiding direct contact with the surrounding marine ecosystem, and creates a bio-secure habitat for fish with minimum disease outbreaks (i.e. min. pharmaceutical use). NEPTUN incorporates a system for automated collection and treatment of waste helping protect the sea & seabed (min. eutrophication).

NEPTUN