Bluegreen is taking a major step internationally by establishing production capacity for Marine Donut in Campbell River, British Columbia. The initiative is part of the largest project announced by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) to date.
For Bluegreen, the initiative marks the beginning of a new phase.
– This is an important milestone for Bluegreen. We have developed, built and demonstrated Marine Donut in Norway. Now we are taking the technology to the international market. The fact that Canada’s Ocean Supercluster has chosen to invest in the project is a strong vote of confidence in both the technology and its international potential, says Nils-Johan Tufte, CEO of Bluegreen and inventor of Marine Donut.
Bluegreen will establish production capacity in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. The company will build local expertise, supply chains and production capabilities for Marine Donut, with the aim of serving customers across the North American market.
– Our ambition is not to ship completed systems across the Atlantic. We want to build local industrial capacity in Canada. Campbell River will become a base that enables us to manufacture and deliver Marine Donut systems to the North American market over time, says Tufte.
The establishment is an important part of Bluegreen’s international growth strategy and will lay the foundation for a long-term presence in North America.
Marine Donut is a large, floating closed-containment system for salmon farming at sea. The technology was developed by Bluegreen and has completed two full production cycles in Norway in collaboration with SalMar, producing close to 2,000 tonnes of fish in total.
The system can be used for both post-smolt and grow-out production.
The next step is to adapt and validate the technology for the environmental and operational conditions along Canada’s Pacific coast. The project will further develop the technology, build local production expertise and lay the groundwork for commercial production in Canada.
– Marine Donut has been commercially demonstrated through two production cycles in Norway. The next step is to adapt and validate the technology for the conditions along Canada’s Pacific coast. At the same time, we need to build local production capacity, establish supply chains and develop the right expertise. This project gives us the opportunity to take these steps in a structured and industrial way, says Tufte.
The project has received support from Wei Wai Kum First Nation in Campbell River through an approved Memorandum of Understanding.
An important part of the project is to support local skills development and build expertise in thermoplastic manufacturing and the operation of Marine Donut. The plans also include training opportunities for members of Wei Wai Kum First Nation.
– We greatly appreciate the support expressed by Wei Wai Kum First Nation through the approved MOU, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue as the project develops. Establishing a responsible presence in Canada requires respectful dialogue with rights-holding First Nations and local communities. Our goal is to develop local expertise, create employment opportunities and generate long-term economic value as the project moves forward, says Tufte.
Bluegreen is also working with Kingfisher Aquaculture Ltd., led by Brad Roberts. The company will support market development in Canada, relationship-building with Indigenous communities and the commercialization of Marine Donut.
Bluegreen is headquartered in Bamble, Norway, and specializes in the design and construction of large and complex thermoplastic structures. The company develops and delivers closed-containment aquaculture systems, with Marine Donut playing a central role in its international expansion.
The establishment in British Columbia marks an important step from Norwegian technology development to international industrial scale-up.
– We have built unique industrial expertise in Norway. Now we are going to use that expertise to build something new on the other side of the Atlantic. We are incredibly proud of that. Campbell River is the first step in what we hope will become a long-term international growth journey for Bluegreen, says Tufte.
