China’s giant aquaculture ship can help the environment and South China Sea ties, expert says
- World’s largest offshore farm ship expected to be ready to set sail in 2022, China State Shipbuilding Corp says
- Massive vessel will farm high-value species, like large yellow croaker, grouper and Atlantic salmon
China is building the world’s biggest offshore fish farm ship in a bid to meet its massive demand for the foodstuff in a more environmentally friendly way.
With a displacement of more than 100,000 tonnes, it will be powered by an all-electric propulsion system and have a top speed of 10 knots.
The ship will be fitted with 80,000 cubic metres of aquaculture tanks and a temperature-controlled supply chain, and farm mostly high-value species, like large yellow croaker, grouper and Atlantic salmon, the company said.
China’s shipbuilders are at the forefront of the fish farming industry. In April, Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard, based in east China’s Shandong province, delivered the world’s largest offshore fish farm platform to Norwegian aquaculture company Nordlaks.
The Jostein Albert is 385 metres long, 59.5 metres wide and capable of holding 10,000 tonnes of salmon in six pens.