Huon Aquaculture has launched the first of four state-of-the-art feed barges which will be built by local steel fabrication company Haywards. These feed barges will assist the company in improving the way they feed salmon whilst also reducing its impact on the environment.

“Our new feed barges will be the best in the world without question. They will be the best in terms of design, technology, safety and efficiency,” said Huon Aquaculture Managing Director, Peter Bender.

The $14.5 million investment means that we will be delivering feed to our salmon more efficiently than anywhere else in the world.

The “Huon”, the first of the four state-of-the-art feed barges was launched June 30, 2014 by the Honourable Will Hodgman Premier of Tasmania, alongside Huon Co-founders and owners Peter and Frances Bender.

“Our new feed barges are already generating world-wide interest and we only launched our first one today. I think that interest is testament to our approach to business improvement; we scour the world for the best available technology and then try to improve it right here in Tasmania. That’s how we developed our new fortress pens and these new feed barges,” said Peter Bender.

“Frances and I continue to live and work in the Huon Valley and we know just how important jobs are to regional areas. We want to do our bit to help other local businesses attract and retain skilled workers in regional areas like the Huon and Channel. That’s why we try to recruit locally and source products, services and skills from local businesses like Haywards wherever possible.”

“To give you an example, 15 companies and 187 people spent a total of 22,000 hours to build this one feed barge.”

In addition to world leading feed system technology our feed barges will be home to our dedicated feed teams and have been fitted out with all the creature comforts as well as ensuring our staffs’ safety at all times in the areas in which we work.

Other benefits of the new barge include high tech feed systems that use cutting-edge technology to determine when the fish are hungry and when they are full, which means less waste and less impact on the environment.

“To continue to grow responsibly and remain at the forefront of our industry we must constantly improve. Right now we are poised to make substantial advances in our farming operations as we grow our business and this new feed barge is another example of how we are doing that, “said Peter.