Aker QRILL Company to launch floating drone platform and warehouse

The strategic acquisition secures continued supplies of sustainable feed and raw materials from Antarctic krill, recognized as the world’s largest biomass.

“This vessel will allow our harvesting fleet to maintain continuous operations while ensuring we can meet the increasing global demand for sustainable marine ingredients.”— Webjørn Barstad, Aker QRILL Company

𝗔𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗤𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗸𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗼 𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 “𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗿.” 𝗧𝗵e 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗸𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀.

The vessel, previously named Kallio and acquired from the Finnish shipping company ESL Shipping, represents a significant investment in operational infrastructure that will enhance the efficiency of Aker QRILL Company’s harvesting operations.

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺
The Antarctic Enabler will serve as a dedicated support vessel for the company’s expanding fleet of krill harvesters, providing critical logistical capabilities in the Antarctic fishing grounds.
Through rebuilding and installations, the vessel will be transformed into a modern floating warehouse, equipped with technology capabilities that enable it to serve as a platform for advanced operational technologies, including unmanned reconnaissance drones that will assist in mapping krill concentrations and optimizing harvesting efficiency.

“The acquisition of Antarctic Enabler represents our commitment to building the infrastructure necessary to support our growing operations,” says Webjørn Barstad, CEO of Aker QRILL Company. “This vessel will allow our harvesting fleet to maintain continuous operations in the Antarctic fishing grounds while ensuring we can meet the increasing global demand for sustainable marine ingredients with the highest operational efficiency.”

The 159-meter ice-classed vessel offers cargo capacity for nearly 10,000 tons of krill meal and substantial bunker capacity to refuel harvesting vessels during operations, eliminating operational downtime and maximizing efficiency. Fully rebuilt and operational as a combined floating warehouse and drone platform, total investments will reach approx. 26,5 million USD. This acquisition follows the company’s recent announcement of a fourth harvesting vessel in partnership with Tersan Shipyard.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Tormod Sandstø
Director Communication
Aker QRILL Company
e: tormod.sandsto@qrill.com

𝘼𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝘼𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙌𝙍𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮
Aker QRILL Company is the world’s leading krill company, delivering premium ingredients for aquaculture and animal nutrition, and raw materials for human health applications. Our operations and development are backed by rigorous science and research into the benefits of krill. Sustainability is at the core of our operations, rooted in world-class standards.

Tormod Sandsto
Aker QRILL Company
+ +47 909 43 215
tormod.sandsto@qrill.com
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