Tech Group, UAE’s leading multi-discipline construction and industrial company, BESIX, a Belgium-based construction group and Ocean Harvest, a technology-enabled agribusiness based in the UAE, have entered into a strategic partnership to design, construct and operate a high-tech, land-based salmon farm in Abu Dhabi.
The project will supply 2000 metric tons per year of premium quality, locally grown, Atlantic salmon to the UAE with a minimized impact on the environment compared to other traditional methods. The strategic partnership will focus on bolstering Ocean Harvest’s engineering and construction management capabilities as well as supporting the company with project-finance structuring and government relations.
Ocean Harvest designs, builds and operates Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) facilities which localize the production of Atlantic Salmon and other salmonid species of fish. Leveraging advanced wastewater treatment technology, Ocean Harvest’s proprietary RAS technology enables the reuse of over 99.5 percent of process water. This almost eliminates wastewater discharge and helps protect fragile ecological systems.
In addition, Ocean Harvest’s first-of-its-kind RAS design for salmon decouples farming from marine systems while virtually eliminating the environmental stress caused by traditional open-net pen farms. Localization of production minimizes carbon dioxide emissions by reducing the amount of “food miles” needed to deliver the product to end consumers.
Haytham Shanshal Co-Founder & CEO Ocean Harvest
“Conversations with Besix and Tech Group began in early-2021. We share a conviction that disruptive technologies can enable the UAE to address many of its most pressing issues, including food security and environmental sustainability within the agricultural sector. This partnership comes at an exciting time and will help Ocean Harvest deliver industrial-scale, local production of salmon in the UAE. As a company, we are grateful for this opportunity and will endeavor to implement our development strategy with a commitment that brings benefits to the society in which we operate.”
Ocean Harvest’s first project is being delivered together with industry-leading RAS technology partner and supplier, Billund Aquaculture and global water treatment leader, SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions. Ocean Harvest quickly secured $1 million in pre-seed capital to fund its design and engineering activities from its ‘Strategic Partners’ such as BESIX and Tech Group and other leading angel investors.
Mr. Peter Lembrechts, Head of Concessions and Assets at BESIX, said that “BESIX is extremely proud to partner with Tech Group in Ocean Harvest’s inaugural project in Abu Dhabi, which will be a world reference for high-tech recirculating aquaculture systems. Together with Ocean Harvest, BESIX and Tech Group share a common vision of the environmental responsibility of companies, they are at the heart of the solution for a virtuous, greener economy, particularly in agribusiness.”
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