Salfjord and Norway Offshore Salmon Form Joint Venture Salfjord Offshore to Compete for Three Norwegian Open-Sea Aquaculture Licenses

Salfjord and Norway Offshore Salmon announced on November 6, 2026 the formation of joint venture Salfjord Offshore AS, targeting three offshore aquaculture areas opened for applications by the Norwegian government and participating in the development of commercial open-water salmon farming.

According to the two companies, Salfjord Offshore is preparing to submit license applications for the three sea areas opened for aquaculture applications by the Norwegian government in February 2026, with the first licenses expected to be issued in 2027.

Under the plan, the joint venture intends to combine the Aqualoop Big Dipper offshore salmon farming platform with large-scale post-smolt produced at Salfjord's land-based facility in Tjeldbergodden. The two companies said the post-smolt required for offshore farming is larger than that used in conventional salmon farming.

Salfjord CEO Hans Ramsvik said in a press release that the two parties together offer an integrated solution, including post-smolt produced at land-based facilities, the Aqualoop Big Dipper platform, and Norway Offshore Salmon's expertise in the development and management of offshore farming operations.

The three sea areas opened by Norway are Norskerenna Sør, Frøyabanken Nord and Trænabanken, each expected to be divided into several farming blocks, with a single block covering hundreds of square kilometers.

Norway Offshore Salmon is also cooperating with other offshore farming companies, including Havlaks, which recently announced several partnerships ahead of the offshore license application round. Ramsvik said offshore farming represents a major opportunity but also requires a significant leap in expertise and the formation of a new industry sector, so there are advantages in parties learning from each other, and cooperation with Norway Offshore Salmon provides this opportunity.

Salfjord Offshore will become a member of the Norwegian seafood association Sjømatbedriftene, and both parent companies are also members of the association. Association CEO Robert Holmøy Eriksson said that if the government's plan is realized, the industry could quickly drive investment of NOK 75 billion to 100 billion (EUR 7.2 billion to 9.6 billion), bringing significant activity to coastal shipyards, the supplier industry and the maritime cluster.