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Hirtshals Salmon Hub:
Port of Hirtshals strengthens its position as a hub for the salmon industry
Port of Hirtshals has become the largest receiver of salmon in Europe, with several leading companies in the salmon industry forming a cluster now known as the Hirtshals Salmon Hub. Close collaboration among these companies has enabled a circular production where every part of the salmon is utilized.
Meat remnants and carcasses from salmon are used for animal feed and supplements for human consumption. Water from the production is employed in biogas production, and excess heat from fillet factories is directed to other companies. These are just a few examples of the constructive collaboration among the companies in the Hirtshals Salmon Hub, established at Port of Hirtshals.
Every week, hundreds of tons of salmon are landed at the salmon factories at Port of Hirtshals, which has become the primary hub for the European salmon industry. The port initiated the salmon hub, where several leading international companies primarily collaborate to utilize all parts of the salmon in a circular symbiosis, such as using meat remnants and carcasses in the production of nutrition for both humans and pets.
"We have a long and solid tradition of buying, selling, and filleting salmon in Hirtshals, and in recent years, the level of activity has significantly increased as international companies have settled at the port. This has now led to the establishment of the Hirtshals Salmon Hub, where we formalize collaboration between companies and strengthen our position in the European market", says Linn Indrestrand, Head of Fishery & Maritime Services at Port of Hirtshals.
The port has managed to attract companies that see significant advantages in collaboration. These include large, well-established companies such as Skagerak Salmon, Biomega, Dan Salmon, Lerøy Seafood, and Hav Line Processing. The latter has established one of the world's largest salmon terminals in Hirtshals.
Port of Hirtshals and the companies share a common goal of creating a more sustainable production, where the circular mindset is crucial.
"Some of the factories still produce salmon fillets and sides as they always have, but the parts of the salmon that were previously discarded are now used for things like salmon oils, flour, or high-quality animal feed. Another example is that water from the production is used in biogas production, and excess heat from the production is also utilized. We are continuously exploring opportunities to establish circular production because the potential is significant", says Linn Indrestrand.
Perfect Location
Norwegians often consider Port of Hirtshals as Norway's southernmost port, and collaboration with Norwegian companies is crucial for the port because Norway is one of the world's largest producers of salmon.
"Our location between Norway and the European continent has always been optimal, but we have become even more attractive to companies because we can now facilitate collaboration between different actors working with salmon", says Linn Indrestrand.
Norwegian Biomega, which built a new biorefinery at Port of Hirtshals in 2021, is one of the companies benefiting significantly from the salmon hub. Biomega produces sustainable nutrition for humans, including proteins, oils, and peptides, as well as high-quality animal feed, and the raw material comes from salmon.
"We need access to large quantities of salmon offcuts from the fillet factories to maintain our production. It includes heads, backs, and tails, and we need offcuts that are completely fresh. For us, it is about getting the highest possible quality", says CEO Stig Victor Petersen from Biomega and continues:
"We chose to place our first factory outside Norway in Hirtshals because the location is ideal, with several fillet factories at the port. At the same time, the area is growing, and Port of Hirtshals is making a great effort to establish collaboration between companies on sustainable initiatives. It is also crucial for us that the CO2 footprint from production is low, and the concentration of companies at the port plays a significant role".
Director Bård Sekkingstad from the fish factory Skagerak Salmon also sees significant benefits from the establishment of a salmon hub.
"It is a huge advantage that many competencies are gathered in one place, and it is essential that we, in practical terms, have easy access to the other companies via the salmon hub. It makes it easier to figure out how we can promote sustainable development. It is, of course, an advantage that the parts of the fish we cannot use ourselves are included in the production at other companies in Hirtshals and do not have to be transported to other parts of the country or discarded. It is important that we can use all the raw materials in Hirtshals and use as few resources as possible for transport and packaging", says Bård Sekkingstad.
Port of Hirtshals is continually working to expand the salmon hub and attract more companies. The port periodically receives inquiries from companies in the USA, Canada, and China interested in seeing how the port works with sustainability.
