The project is owned by Nekst, a company in which Hofseth holds a 77 percent ownership stake. It is part of a development license that enables testing of new technology and operational methods in practice. Havliljen is scheduled to be installed at Vindsnes 2026, with the first fish to be stocked at the end of May.
Havliljen is a large, submersible steel cage with a diameter of 62 meters, which can be lowered to a depth of 15 meters using a hydraulic winch attached to a 270-ton bottom weight. When the cage is submerged below the surface, the fish remain at a depth where salmon lice occur less frequently, thereby significantly reducing the risk of infestation.
This week, Project manager Thomas Nordal from Hofseth visited the shipyard together with Kjell Audun Aasen and Bård Arnesen from Nekst, and Even from Aker Solutions. They met with production manager John Arve Sundet and the team at Bauta, who are responsible for the construction.
“It’s impressive to see how much progress is made from week to week,” says Thomas, who closely follows the project.
At the shipyard, work is progressing steadily to maintain a high pace. Welding and assembly are well underway, and more of the large structure is taking shape each day. The plan is for Havliljen to be ready for transport from Hjørungavåg by the end of February next year, before being towed to Vindsnes for installation. Once in operation, the cage will have a capacity of around 1,500 tonnes of fish and will be equipped with double nets to prevent escapes.
