Aquaculture employees enjoy their work, but worry about health and safety
Fully 85 percent of employees on service vessels have experienced near accidents in the last two years – and many are concerned about their own health.

Fully 85 percent of employees on service vessels have experienced near accidents in the last two years – and many are concerned about their own health.
At Avisomo Modular Farming the lettuce is sown, grown, and packaged – all untouched by human hands. Increased food security and fewer imports are the goal.
What’s one of the most difficult things for a robot to do that hasn’t already been done? How about a robot that can see, understand, grasp and cut soft, slippery and deformable objects – without destroying them?
In the Lofoten archipelago off Norway’s northern west coast, a rescue helicopter circles over a cruise ship. Soon, two people and a large bag are lowered onto the deck. Then a line is launched over to the coast guard ship that is right next to it. The cruise ship is ready to be towed. Fortunately, this is only an exercise to test the new equipment and not a real emergency.
What happens when you disrupt a fish’s natural rhythm? The use of light in fish farms can stress the fish and prevent them from sleeping or developing properly. New research now makes it possible to measure light from the fish’s point of view. This could greatly improve fish health.
Uncrewed vessels that navigate themselves and notify operators when they need support from shore-based navigators. However, such ships also require an international regulatory framework. Now, the first version is in place, largely thanks to Norwegian research.
The substructures for fixed offshore wind turbines weigh thousands of tonnes. If you are planning to install them at sea, only about five vessels in the world can lift that much weight. So now researchers are testing a completely new alternative.
Salmon usually go about their lives quietly, unless they are stressed. Their clicking sound is so unusual that researchers don’t even know if they make the sound with their heads or – yes, the other end.
Artificial intelligence provides good answers to mental health questions. Young people even like ChatGPT’s responses better than healthcare professionals’ advice.
New technology and automation have radically changed production practices. Workers now lift around 20 tonnes less fish – each day – than they used to.
Concrete has never had to meet such high standards. Deviations cannot exceed millimetre level. Even the curvature of the Earth must be taken into account in building the world’s most advanced laboratories.
The fishing and aquaculture industries are major consumers of plastic. Feed hoses, nets and ropes all contain plastic – and even washing fish farming nets can be a culprit. But research shows that simple methods can reduce emissions.
Building a port on land takes time. On water, the job can be done quickly. Hagbart Skage Alsos and his research colleagues at SINTEF are investigating how to build floating ports.
One of Norway’s largest production kitchens makes 2500 meals a day. The focus on food waste, simple tools and identifying deviations shows that it is possible to save 300 meals a month through donations.
European coastal areas are under increasing pressure. Researchers are investigating ways to reverse this trend and help communities adapt to climate change.
Fishing alone is a dangerous occupation. A new safety alarm could save lives by automatically stopping the boat and alerting the Coastal Radio Service and nearby vessels.
A small revolution is happening in the fishing industry. Freshly frozen fish can now be thawed in a new way, and that means you will have access to super-fresh food from the sea – even if you live thousands of miles away.
A new tool is helping researchers simulate erosion and climate change, turning data into action.
“That’s the dream,” says researcher Hanne Dalsvåg. If the researchers succeed, in the future you might be able to buy vegetables wrapped in packaging made from waste carrot or potato residues.
By using two propellers that rotate in opposite directions, a ship can use less energy to move forward. New knowledge means that more ships can use the technology, including Hurtigruten’s Sea Zero project for its coastal cruise ships.
‘Bubbles’ – taste that word – and think soda, soap, play and well-being. But did you know that air bubbles can also reduce fuel consumption and emissions from oceangoing vessels?
Copepods are the perfect food package for marine fish larvae, such as cod, tuna and halibut. Now research shows that it is possible to drastically increase the production of the fish fry’s superfood.
The ship may need over five kilometers to stop. Perhaps not so surprising. The ship measures 62 meters in width and extends 21 meters below the water’s surface. Four models needed to test if the ship withstands launch.
It can take up to 200 years for damaged marine environments to fully recover by just stopping the destruction and leaving the ecosystems to themselves. That is why we must implement active restoration interventions.