Aker QRILL launches Floating Drone Platform and Warehouse
Aker QRILL Launches Floating Drone Platform and Warehouse
Aker QRILL, our premium member, has acquired the vessel Kallio, now named Antarctic Enabler, investing significantly to enhance krill harvesting operations. This venture may also include the use of a floating drone platform to improve their efficiency.
Aker QRILL Company has acquired the vessel previously known as Kallio and renamed it Antarctic Enabler, investing approximately 26.5 million USD to convert it into a modern floating warehouse and drone platform. By integrating a cutting-edge drone, this 159-metre ice-classed vessel will support the company’s expanding krill harvesting fleet in Antarctic waters by providing critical logistical capabilities, including drone technology.
“The acquisition of Antarctic Enabler represents our commitment to building the infrastructure necessary to support our growing operations,” says Webjørn Barstad, CEO of Aker QRILL Company. “This vessel will allow our harvesting fleet to maintain continuous operations in the Antarctic fishing grounds while ensuring we can meet the increasing global demand for sustainable marine ingredients with the highest operational efficiency.”
The vessel will be equipped with advanced technologies, including unmanned reconnaissance drones, to map krill concentrations and improve harvesting efficiency. With a cargo capacity close to 10,000 tons of krill meal and substantial bunker capacity for refuelling, the Antarctic Enabler will allow continuous operations for harvesting vessels, eliminating downtime and maximising overall efficiency.
This new floating warehouse and drone platform follows Aker QRILL’s strategic expansion, including the recent announcement of a fourth harvesting vessel built in partnership with Tersan Shipyard. The company leads the krill industry with sustainable marine ingredient production, supporting aquaculture, animal nutrition, and human health markets, underpinned by rigorous science and a commitment to environmental sustainability.
About Aker QRILL
Aker QRILL is a biotech innovator and Antarctic krill-harvesting company, dedicated to improving human and planetary health. This company employs drones within its fully traceable value chain, stretching from sustainable krill harvesting operations in Antarctica through the logistics hub in Montevideo to its state-of-the-art factory in Houston and all the way to its customers around the world.
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