Ground Breaking Ceremony

A significant milestone for Proximar Seafood and partners was reached Monday 26th of April as the Ground Breaking Ceremony took place at the construction site in Oyama-cho, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. With strong support from the Norwegian Embassy and Innovation Norway, with the Ambassador Inga M. W. Nyhamar in front, the solemn ceremony was performed according to Shinto tradition. The construction partner Daiwa House Industries organized the event and the ceremony received broad media coverage, both nationwide and regionally. The official ground breaking was performed by the Ambassador Inga M. W. Nyhamar, the Mayor of Oyama Town Mr Haruichi Ikeya, the Director of Daiwa House Industry Mr Tatsuya Urakawa and on behalf of Proximar Seafood, Mr Keisuke Nakayama. The construction contract was signed with Daiwa House early March this year and construction preparations started 19th of March. The total construction period is expected to last for 28 months.

‍

This agreement is an important milestone for Proximar and in line with the company’s strategy to engage in strategic partnerships with strong local partners in Japan. Marubeni is one of the largest general trading companies (sōgō shōsha) in Japan, with 136 branches and offices in 68 countries and regions. The intention with the MoU is to conclude in a firm off-take agreement once the parties have found a suitable long-term model.

“I am pleased to be able to celebrate the ground breaking ceremony after establishing the company in 2015. By this facility, we are bringing knowhow from Norwegian salmon farming closer to the end customers. As we will be producing in a huge market as the Japanese, we are saving both the environment and cost. We will also be able to present to the market the highest quality and unique freshness, harvested the same day” -

— Mr Joachim Nielsen, CEO of Proximar Seafood

‍

‍

Immediately after the Ceremony, a press conference was held. Ambassador Nyhamar said, "We have 35 years of experience in exporting fresh salmon from Norway to Japan. At the end of that, we are very pleased that Norwegian companies will take on the challenge of land-based farming using state-of-the-art technology." Daiwa House Industry Director Urakawa explained, "The facility is one of the largest Atlantic salmon land-based aquaculture facilities in Japan. In the second phase, it is possible to increase production at the adjacent site."

As the hatchery will be completed in 2022, the first eggs will be brought in 3rd quarter next year. The grow-out building will be completed medio 2023, making Proximar able to present the first fish to the market in 2024. The facility will have a total production capacity of 6,300 tons whole fish.