Mowi’s new processing centre to cut out wellboats

Mowi has announced plans to build a “state-of-the-art” processing centre in Hitra, Norway.

Work on the new factory will start in April and is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2024. The factory will have a production capacity of 100,000 tonnes and will replace Mowi’s current factory at Ulvan.

The new plant will take fish from sea harvest vessels only rather than wellboats. Mowi Norway is now using four sea harvest vessels to supply its processing plants, and the company said the South Region in Norway is already fully based on this technology.

In the long term, Mowi plans to substitute wellboat transport with sea harvest vessels, which it says will represent an improvement in fish welfare.

Speaking about the new facility, Olaf Skjærvik, director of Mowi Mid Region, said: “This will be a state-of-the-art factory built for the future. The project group has done a thorough job, and we are very happy that we now can start construction.

“The new factory will produce high-quality seafood in a much more efficient way than we do today. The building design is very modern and will create a more welcoming environment for our staff whilst optimising health and safety features.”