MMC First Process is a Norwegian company. We are transforming the seafood industry by offering complete and sustainable system solutions for handling, processing and cooling of fish to the seafood industry - within wildcatch and aquaculture - worldwide.
The purpose of our sustainability report is to be transparent about our current sustainability performance, to communicate our future goals and to share the story on how we aim to achieve those goals.
The ocean, and the wild nature on the west coast of Norway has shaped a culture for pioneering and exploring since the pre-Viking age.
With the North Sea as highway to the world we understood that quality is a matter of life or death at sea. Our forefathers have passed on the knowledge through generations, creating a tradition for innovation.
We been raised to only harvest what we need and utilize everything that we harvest in a sustainable way. And this is a heritage MMC First Process will pass on to the generations to come.
With the desire to create and develop the industry together with others
Petter Leon Fauske CEO
In aquaculture, the green transformation means producing tasty and nutritious food for future generations, profitably and without subsidies. Aquaculture is a sustainable long-term industry. But creativity and innovation must not be strangled by industry-specific taxation.
Along the coast, we are trying to fulfil Norway’s natural role in the battle against global warming by increasing food production from aquaculture. We have the solutions to reduce the CO2 footprint from present-day food systems with significant percentage, which account for 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions. So it is a paradox for Norway to impose a special tax on the capital required to scale up the aquaculture industry and create new ventures. The consequences of the tax is reduced investments, production and higher food prices as well as the loss of momentum in an industry where Norway has been in pole position and led the way.
We aspire to make the impossible possible. We see ourselves as “enablers” in the aquaculture industry, by developing equipment and systems that enable stage-by-stage evolution. Our contribution includes keeping the fish safe, healthy, alive and in good condition in places where nature originally did not intend fish to be. Every day we live our goal of helping our customers to become world leaders in sustainable handling of the oceans’ most important food resources, and we are privileged to be able to help the very best become even better.
Entrepreneurial Sunnmøre - the Silicon Valley of the West Coast - will rapidly lose ground internationally if we fail to continue investing. We must participate in the world-wide marketplaces, but we also know that our global success is built on local entrepreneurship, local strengths, local capital, local expertise and many local customers which over the decades have dared to rely on us time after time, often against all odds.
In these uncertain times, we must be bold enough to maintain the pace of innovation and development and work together to develop forward-looking solutions for fish welfare, biomass security and product quality. IF we fail in this, it will damage the whole industry as significant improvements in fish welfare, security and responsibility will be required for future operating licenses. The entire value chain in the aquaculture sector as well as NGOs, authorities and politicians must work together on this. One of the most important success criteria is technology, and we are certain that the supplier industry will be absolutely crucial to success. We are prepared to be socially responsible in our mission to eradicate hunger and provide more sustainable protein on the table for an evergrowing world population.
If the value chain as a whole succeed, we will be able to build profitable and sustainable food systems along the coast, secure prosperity and contribute to the community through taxation. Entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, commitment and collaboration have endured, despite history telling us that many have paid a high price for taking risks and being the first in the field.
We have done what politicians only dreamt about; created great wealth in the outlying districts and ensured sustainable communities along the entire coastline. If the industry is forced out of the country by taxation, a growth industry, and its suppliers, will disappear before you can even say “resource rent tax”. We must ensure that our industry is not redirected to subsidising economically unsustainable activities, or to sectors lacking the natural advantages to succeed against global competition. We aim to innovate and want to be a game changer as there is insatiable demand for healthy, sustainable protein and consequently enormous potential for growth and development in the technology-based supplier industry.
MMC First Process has unmatched competence and a wide range of technology within fish handling, processing, cooling and energy.
This pooling of specialist expertise makes us a complete supplier to the seafood industry of advanced and sustainable system solutions for handling, processing and cooling of fish.
A complete supplier of sustainable fish handling systems in one company.
38 years experience
223 employees
Market leading position within live fish handling
Our vision is to transform the seafood industry by offering complete and sustainable system solutions for handling, processing and cooling of fish to the seafood industry - within wildcatch and aquaculture - worldwide.
Together we want to make our customers the best in the world at managing the sea’s most important food resources efficiently, sustainably and carefully to leverage our common resources in the best way for future generations. This is our mission.
Ålesund
Fosnavåg Haugesund LOCATIONS
AQUACULTURE FISH HANDLING
Wellboats
Land based farming
Holding tanks
Closed fish farming
Stun and bleed - Fish handling systems
SEAFOOD PROCESSING
Aquaculture processing
White fish processing
Pelagic processing
AQUACULTURE WATER TREATMENT
Water treatment for Wellboat systems
Water treatment for Land based aquaculture
CleanTreat® Integrated
ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYSTEMS
Cooling
Energy
AFTERMARKET & SERVICE
Spare parts
Service 24/7
Upgrade and rebuild
Scope 1:
Emissions resulting from activities directly linked to production.
Scope 2:
Emissions resulting from indirect emissions such as heating and electricity usage.
Scope 3:
Emissions as a consequence of the products and services we purchase from our supply chain.
Enable customers to become the best in the world at managing the sea’s most important food resources effectively, sustainably and carefully Fish
The Company’s strategy is based on the twin concepts of completeness and sustainability, in other words we aim to be a complete supplier of sustainable systems for handling marine biomass.
The sustainability strategy is based on three pillars:
• Fish Welfare and Food Production
• Competence and collaboration
• Sustainable value chain
Under each of these pillars, we have set targets and operative KPIs that relate to specific tasks at the departmental level in the Company. We refer directly to seven of the UN SDGs, which we have decided to prioritise.
1986
”Old” MMC established
• Focus on vacuum pumps
First Process established by Petter Leon Fauske
”New” MMC established
• Group re-established Established MMC Chile
MMC acquired Trio Kulde AS Closed MMC Chile
2012
• Havyard Group acquired 70% of MMC
Tendos established by Leif Gjelseth. Strong competitor to MMC
• Petter Leon Fauske started in Odim
First Process established in Japan.
MMC acquired Skogland AS MMC Peru established
2013
• MMC Kulde merged as one company
Large merger with MMC, Odim, Fodema, Tendos (Optimar)
MMC acquired Atek AS First Process established in Chile and Peru (2006/2007)
MMC Green Tech AS established
• Havyard acquired remaining shares in MMC
- listed on stock market
MMC is one of 4 business areas in Havyard
• New strategy in First Process
• New business model in First Process - Scalability
2017
• MMC merged with First Process New name MMC First Process AS
2021
Synergi realization - Significant uptick in order intake and entry into land-based farming with orders from industry leaders
2019
• Credo, First Process Holding and Erle Invest acquired MMC First Process from Havyard
• MMC Green Tech sold to Havyard
2022
Launching Energy efficiency systems & Stun and bleed
2020
Pioneering innovations in land-based fish farming for moving and handling large fish
2023
• Launching Water treatment systems, Fish welfare approved program, Fish weltech insight and Closed Fish Farming systems
• Incorporated written values
Showing responsibility is not just about capitalist profit. It is about contributing to building the responsible capital our customers need to manage society´s recources.
Our legacy will be judged on the decisions that we make every day. The profound understanding of fish welfare is critical for our common future.
We have an obligation to provide those who will be managing our common wealth with the recources they require to be the best at managing the ocean´s and our common resource in the future.
Our goal is to shape the future for those to come after us by ensuring that our common resources in the oceans are sustainable managed for future generations. This is our commitment for future generations - and this will be our legacy.
During the last few years, major changes have taken place in MMC First Process, with formidable growth in turnover, large growth in the number of employees, and several organizational changes. In order to continue this positive development, it is important that we not only have strategies and action plans, but that we also have clear values in the company.
Until now, we have had oral values that have guided the company, and which have been communicated by Petter Leon Fauske in all employee communication in recent years. During 2023 we took this work a step further and formalized the values in the company.
In order to be a “complete game changer” we have to follow som principles considered valuable and desirable. Our values are guiding us to work in the same direction, and they are made to:
• Create pride, unity and commitment among the employees.
• Create culture.
• Connect meaning and purpose to work.
Our values are personalized and “down to earth”, and words that all employees can identify with.
I am ENGAGED.
I am COOPERATIVE.
I am RESPONSIBLE.
• We are engaged, forward leaning, light-footed and unique, with a strong desire to succeed.
• We have a culture characterized by innovation, cooperation and sharing of competence.
• We are all Game Changers
• We acknowledge the important combination of practical and theoretical competence in the company.
• We have fantastic employees creating value every day. We work together.
• We win as a team, not as individuals.
• We are ambassadors for the company, and talk positively about each other across departments, business units, competence areas and locations.
• Power in One is all about interaction and diversity across the whole company.
• We want a working environment which is respectful and based on trust, where everyone is included. We take social responsibility.
• What we do must be legal, in accordance with our values, it must be right, and we must have credibility.
• No one should work too much at the expense of life, health or family.
Ethical guidelines and the Code of Conduct define how all our employees and partners perform their tasks and relate to us and the world around us. We are proud of the ethical business practices we have established and the values we live by.
Common values provide the company with a strong ethical and moral platform and are crucial for us to be able to attract employees, and as partners for customers to choose us for their projects. It helps to build trust between colleagues and partners. It also helps build pride and strengthen the business and the company.
We have a strong reputation, and we will continue to develop our company’s culture as expressed in all our communication, behavior, and ethical guidelines. With a world-leading position in the market comes a great ethical responsibility, which we take very seriously.
80% of all our customers and partners have signed our code of conduct, all our employees are required to follow our ethical guidelines.
MMC First Process supports internationally recognized human rights, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the standards promoted by the International Labor Organization (ILO). We strive to ensure that all our activities worldwide are conducted in accordance with these basic human rights.
Examples of important human rights related to the business are:
• Freedom of speech.
• Freedom of association and collective bargaining.
• Labour standards, including prevention of forced labour, child labour and discrimination.
Customer care, fish welfare and the environment will always be our top priorities, and the ten principles in the UN Global Compact match perfectly with our own ambitions in MMC First Process.
UN Global Compact`s mission is to generate an international movement for sustainable companies, and encourage companies and organizations to align their strategies and operations with ten universal principles on human rights, labour standards, the environment and the fight against corruption. A further aim is to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Joining the United Nations Global Compact represents a further step forward, as we develop the sustainability strategy.
MMC First Process is strongly agains all forms of corruption and works actively to ensure that this does not occur within the company. Corruption is not tolerated and violations will lead to disciplinary action. As a part of its anticorruption efforts, we has implemented a code of conduct for all employees, including management.
This code helps the organization to make the correct decisions day to day. All employees go through an ethical guidelines and code of conduct course.
Customer care, fish welfare and the environment will always be our top priorities, and the ten principles in the UN Global Compact match perfectly with our own ambitions in MMC First Process.
UN Global Compact`s mission is to generate an international movement for sustainable companies, and encourage companies and organizations to align their strategies and operations with ten universal principles on human rights, labour standards, the environment and the fight against corruption. A further aim is to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Joining the United Nations Global Compact represents a further step forward, as we develop the sustainability strategy.
In 2020, MMC First Process conducted a EU Taxonomy screening (“the Taxonomy”) for the first time.
The purpose of the screening was to:
1. understand if MMC First Process conducts business today that is defined as a green activity in the Taxonomy, or
2. what the future holds for MMC First Process with regard to the future development and expansion of the Taxonomy.
Whatever the industry or business, the Taxonomy is based on the following 6 environmental objectives:
1. climate change mitigation
2. climate change adaptation
3. sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources
4. transition to a circular economy, waste prevention and recycling
5. pollution prevention and control
6. protection of healthy ecosystems
Based on the objectives there are 3 conditions to comply with to be considered a green business:
1. contribute substantially to at least one of the six environmental objectives
2. do no significant harm to any of the other environmental objectives
3. comply with Minimum Social Safeguards
Result of screening
MMC First Process’ activities is not per 2023 defined as green by the taxonomy. MMC First Process will continue to monitor future developments of the screening criteria to early understand what it might mean for our business activities.
Petter Leon Fauske
The aquaculture industry has long been an important generator of food and economic growth and as concern about sustainability and environmental impact has increased, the industry has begun to adapt to green finance as a route to a more sustainable future. This approach has the potential to reduce any negative effects and simultaneously accelerate innovation in a sector that will play a vital role in meeting the increasing global demand for healthy and sustainable seafood.
As the Chief Financial Officer of an important supplier to the aquaculture industry, I am fully committed to balancing financial goals with environmental and social considerations. Sustainability is no longer just an ethical imperative; it is also a business necessity. For our sector, green finance will be key to maintaining growth and delivering longterm value for both investors and society.
We say that we are an “Enabler” for sustainable fish handling, and we achieve that by making our customers the best in the world, precisely by developing technology that enables these customers to handle fish in a sustainable way. Developing this technology is capital intensive, so green finance acts as an Enabler for development and lies at the heart of our thinking and strategy.
Green Finance as a Catalyst for Sustainability
Green finance refers to investments that are directed towards projects, technologies or activities that have positive environmental and social effects. In aquaculture, this has begun to change the way the industry thinks and operates. Green finance allows us to invest in new technology and innovative projects that can develop the company and simultaneously improve our sustainability profile. This includes measures that reduce energy consumption, increase resource utilisation and minimise waste. By undertaking such investments, we can reduce our carbon footprint and secure long-term profitability.
By using green finance the aquaculture industry gains access to capital that can be invested in advanced technological solutions. This includes developing sustainable farming methods such as closed-containment facilities that reduce environmental impact and contribute to better resource utilisation. Innovations such as sensor-based monitoring systems and our own Fish WelTech Insight are examples of systems that facilitate more precise and sustainable operating methods.
Resource Management
Sustainable aquaculture is not just about reducing the environmental impact, it also involves managing resources more efficiently. Green finance has made it possible to invest in research and technology that contributes to better resource management. These include monitoring fish welfare and methods for securing the biomass.
Quality Assurance and Traceability
Securing quality and traceability are essential, if consumers’ demands for sustainability and food safety are to be met. Green finance supports the development of technologies such as blockchain, that facilitate full product traceability from pen to plate, thereby increasing trust in the product’s life cycle and sustainability.
Risk Management
As CFO, a key responsibility is to evaluate the financial risks involved in sustainability issues. Climate change and environmental sanctions can affect the business directly. Green finance allows us to diversify and minimise such risks. By embracing sustainability standards and transparency, we can also attract investors and customers who share our long-term perspective.
Trust and Social Responsibility
In today’s society both customers and investors expect enterprises to treat environmental and social issues responsibly. Green finance enables us to build up trust and demonstrate our commitment to sustainability. This can result in a more loyal customer base and enhanced reputation, which in turn can have a positive influence on the bottom line.
Cooperation - the Fundamental Factor Green finance encourages cooperation between aquaculture businesses, the authorities and investors to develop sustainable projects and standards. It promotes knowledge-sharing and a general commitment to achieving collective sustainability goals. Our involvement and work in GATH will continue to be important, as it is only by working together that the worldwide challenges facing us all can be solved.
Green finance can act as a catalyst for innovation in the aquaculture industry. This approach helps the industry to meet sustainability demands, while securing economic growth. It is important for this positive trend to continue to develop, as it will be the key to a more sustainable and profitable future for the aquaculture sector and not least for equipment and technology suppliers such as MMC First Process.
As CFO, I understand that green finance is not just a strategic necessity. By embracing green finance, we can position ourselves for a more sustainable future and achieve financial growth at the same time. We have a duty to ensure that our sector contributes to conserving the resources of the sea and coastal communities and green finance gives us some of the tools we need to fulfil this obligation. But to succeed, we must cooperate with investors, governments and industry players to develop and implement sustainable financial solutions. This will not only benefit our own organisations, but also the planet and future generations.
The first-ever ARP report prepared by MMC FIRST PROCESS was for 2022. The report describes the equality situation in MMC FIRST PROCESS AS and the work being carried out by the Company to ensure equal opportunities for all employees. Part of our work involved using Equality Check’s tool, and this will ensure a more systematic approach to our equality work in future.
In the report, we have identified measures to prevent discrimination and prepare for equality, diversity, and inclusion. Our measures to prevent discrimination and promote equality are linked to what we also consider to be our biggest risk areas: gender balance and cultural diversity.
Planned actions
• Include clear equality and diversity goals when assessing managers’ achievement of their goals.
• Improve diversity skills through the whole recruitment process from job advertisement to interview and engagement.
• Review inclusive and gender-neutral language and wording in job advertisements.
• Focus on recruitment processes in all management meetings.
• Do not relax until we have a diverse flow of candidates.
• Review all our buildings to ensure minimum requirements for accessibility by wheelchair users are fulfilled. Evaluate language requirements.
Actively recruit persons with disabilities, in collaboration with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) and utilise any grants available to employers. This will also be expressed through our action plan in the collaboration agreement relating to a more inclusive working life in the business.
• Arrange appropriate work for company employees who are disabled. Define what is needed to develop and improve the disablement adaptation skills of managers and employee representatives. Collaborate with NAV and the occupational health service (BHT) on skills development and attend relevant NAV/BHT courses.
We have already implemented several cultural measures
We always have gluten-, milk- and meat-free alternatives in our canteens.
We arrange a mixture of social events with and without alcohol and always provide alcohol-free alternatives. In general, alcohol will not play an important part in social events.
• We vary the timing of our social events, so that parents with small children and employees with other caring responsibilities are also able to attend.
Our role as a corporate citizen
We recognise that we operate in a male-dominated industry, so we spend time and resources every year on inspiring and motivating girls to choose technical subjects at school. We also attend education fairs with a balance of women and men present.
We focus on long-term recruitment and are regularly in contact with students at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Ålesund and Trondheim. To secure long-term recruitment of skilled workers we have recruited many apprentices in recent years, and they now make up 10 % of our workforce. We invite lower secondary school pupils to factory visits where apprentices can share their experiences with them. We also take in many summer relief workers and liaise closely with students writing bachelor’s and master’s theses about us. Through The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) we also participate in Technology Days for Girls, offer our employees educational grants and send young employees with management talent to Talent Sunnmøre.
We are also conducting an internal management development programme.
The products we supply have user instructions in several languages, designed with an easily-readable typeface and written in genderneutral, inclusive language.
Our implementation plan
• Our first task is to introduce diversity goals for all our line managers. This is being set up in Q1 2024 and every departmental manager will be responsible for reporting on the extent to which goals are being achieved.
One of these goals will be our review of succession planning for all our employees, with special emphasis on gender balance and cultural diversity.
We wish to offer electronic tuition on unconscious discrimination to the whole organisation during 2024. Managers will be responsible for ensuring that every employee complies.
• In the spring of 2023, HR reviewed the staff handbook for inclusiveness of language.
• HR and departmental managers always review job announcements as part of the recruitment procedures.
• During management meetings, status and statistics from current recruitment processes will be reported, to quality-assure procedures for candidate diversity and equal opportunities.
• During the second half of 2023, the CHRO will assess all buildings to establish accessibility for wheelchair users.
Our evaluation of goals, measures and resources up to now In summary, we are satisfied with the framework we have put in place for a more inclusive working environment. We shall be committing even more resources to reach our goals, and making diversity work a part of the managers’ measurable goals will be an important driver for achieving the changes more efficiently. As mentioned above we have chosen recruitment and culture, particularly gender and cultural diversity, as our main priorities in the year ahead. We shall therefore record the status carefully, to ensure a basis for comparison next year. As regards results so far, we are pleased with the increase in female employees in most specialist areas. To ensure future continuation of the work and a clear division of responsibilities, we shall be involving the employee representatives in the work.
In order to protect its employees’ health and safety at work and successfully maintain good relationships with its customers, it is essential for MMC First Process to make proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Use of PPE and compliance with the Company’s HSE rules and internal control procedures is compulsory in all production facilities.
MMC First Process places high priority on the safety of its employees and, with HSE in mind, jobs are structured to prevent potential injuries. The target for personal injuries is zero-harm.
MMC First Process concluded an inclusive working life (IWL) agreement with the employee representatives in 2021. The main objectives of the IWL policy are:
MMC First Process aims to achieve an inclusive working life that enables employees to develop their skills to the full and apply them actively in their work.
• The focus in the workplace environment shall be on prevention.
• MMC First Process shall promote a healthy workplace, with particular attention to personal mastery, employee participation and development.
• Managerial support and cooperation within the organisation are prerequisites for creating a thriving, inclusive working life.
• All parties are responsible for achieving targets and action plans and this requires the employer to work closely with the employee representatives, safety representatives and staff to ensure that the plans are realised.
Health and safety of employees
During 2023, MMC First Process recorded 4 personal injuries that resulted in absence and loss of productice work time (Lost Time Injury/LTI).
*A lost time injury (LTI) is an injury sustained on the job by an employee that results in the loss of productive work time.
Sub-objective 1
Maintain work attendance in MMC First Process AS at over 96%. This means that sickness absence, including self-certified absence, shall not exceed 4%.
Sub-objective 2
Prevent dropout from working life and increase employment of persons with disabilities.
Sub-objective 3
Encourage employees to remain in their job and defer drawing their pensions, so that their working life is extended.
Sickness absence in MMC First Process has been stable for some years, at less than 3%. In the last couple of year sickness absence has risen somewhat and in 2022 it was 4.6%. The increase has mainly been in short-term, self-certified sickness absence. This may be the result of many having suffered from colds and influenza, caused by reduced immunity in the population generally, after two years with Covid and extensive restrictions. In the beginning of 2023, the sickness absence increased further, but now due to increase in long term sickness. This increase lasted for a few months, but in second half of 2023 the sickness absence has decreased rapidly. This increase and later decrease is a trend that many companies in Norway has seen. The Company is monitoring this development closely and is following up employees who need support.
Emergency preparedness and industrial safety
The enterprise has an established industrial protection organisation that is able to act decisively and effectively to limit the consequences of undesirable incidents that threaten life, health, the environment and material assets. Normality can quickly be re-established. MMC First Process has also prepared an Emergency Plan, trained its staff and carried out the necessary on-site exercises.
During the last two years, MMC First Process has been engaged in implementing a management system for Quality and HSE (TQM Enterprise) pursuant to the requirements in ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015. Achievement of the Company’s strategic goals depends on MMC First Process having control over its processes and procedures and being able to document requirements from its customers and the authorities.
The management system helps MMC First Process to maintain control over its value chain and enables employees to find documentation easily when they need it. The system has several modules. Nonconformities and improvements are managed using the management system’s Case Handling module.
All systems for handling, processing, cooling and freezing of fish are tested against a range of criteria, both during the project and before delivery to the customer. A dedicated start-up team carries out these tests and quality checks. The management system’s checklist and forms module is used to complete predefined checklists on a mobile phone, PC or tablet during the test. For complicated tests, several employees can work together on a single form. The customer can then sign the form directly (by mobile phone) when the test is completed. The completed form is then produced as a pdf file that can be sent to the customer as verification that the test has been done.
MMC First Process has good internal control procedures for ensuring compliance with Norwegian HSE legislation. The forms module in the management system is used for interior and exterior safety rounds (Safe Job Analysis) in order to document that employees have been trained on machinery, equipment etc. The one-to-one link between PC and TQM app also enables employees to pre-complete necessary information in the forms before production starts.
The Company pays great attention to fish welfare and has developed an internal “Fish Welfare Approved Program” for handling fish as gently as possible as they pass through the systems. All points of contact between the fish and the equipment have been identified. For example, in land-based aquaculture the requirements for land-based aquaculture installations for fish (NS 9416) must be complied with. NS 9416 contains strict requirements for risk analysis of methodology and fish escapes etc. The management system’s Risk module is used to carry out and record these risk analyses. The module provides for worst-case risk assessment in advance of corrective steps being taken and then again once measures are in place. The assessment can be supported by adding customer documentation, as well as MMC First Process own documentation. Historical information from earlier risk assessments can also be displayed, so that previous trends and measures executed are visible.
The Norwegian Transparency Act came into effect from 1 July 2022. The Act is intended to secure decent working conditions throughout the value chain and the enterprise is required to provide evidence of its own efforts to achieve this.
The Act imposes a duty to provide information and a duty to undertake due diligence. A public report on these matters is required and members of the public may ask for documentation at any time. The report shall be updated and published by 30 June annually, first time 30. June 2023.
MMC First Process has conducted a human rights due diligence on our operations and our entire supply chain, including business partners. This means that MMC First Process has made assessment of where the risk of violations of fundamental human rights and decent working conditions is greatest, and based on this assessment performed necessary measures.
The international community is struggling to manage major environmental crises, and several serious global conflicts.
All of these have created great uncertainty for the ones which is directly impacted by it, but also the Global Community is forced to adapt. Each on its own would be enough to guarantee that nothing will ever be quite the same again. The two crises have accelerated the global pace of change and given us a new chronology that our successors will read about in their history books. The challenges are enormous and time is short. The last couple of years companies have been altering their business strategies to position themselves to handle both the change in business, and to be compliant with new and still changing legislations.
The focus on energy strategies is ever present. Most companies are already changing their business strategies and adapting to ESG, but now industries across the world are having to revise their energy strategies. Two hundred years of industrialisation must now be completely re-aligned in a tenth of that time. Suddenly, the idea of the planet as a global forum with open borders for citizens and companies can no longer be taken for granted. The world is becoming polarised and is splitting into competing trading groups, so the protection of our natural resources is now more important than ever. Russia’s warmongers are using reduced energy supplies as a weapon against Europe and this is changing the established balance. Many countries face huge energy challenges.
Never before has the world changed so rapidly and there are no grounds for believing that this trend will cease. Locally produced food has become a hot topic on an international scale, so that many more countries want to secure their own food and protein supplies close home than they did just a few years ago. The world’s population is still increasing and hunger is one of the planet’s main challenges. Sustainable, healthy food is a priority and we know that part of the answer lies in the sea. Production of fish gives a much lower CO2 footprint than production of meat.
If we succeed in upping the production of marine protein, we shall not only contribute to reducing hunger, but will also reduce the global environmental burden.
This presents a huge opportunity for the seafood industry, but the opportunity also brings great responsibility. The industry has chosen to reach for the opportunity, well knowing that the key to success will be our ability to work together. We must work together when we can and compete when we must, while creating a responsible industry that accepts its social responsibility by making good, well-judged choices that will make our grandchildren proud.
Carbon footprint of farmed Atlantic salmon vs other proteins
kg CO2e - Beef
Source: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local
The world population has passed 8 billion people. By 2050 there will be nearly 10 billion. There is no lack of food in the world, but the food is unevenly distributed. Today, as many as 783 million people are uncertain where their next meal is going to come from and 283 million of children are malnourished or suffer from stunting.
One of the key conditions for promoting a sustainable world is ensuring food security and availability for all people. The United Nation sustainability goal number 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, is the key to this.
The UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) encompass all factors to be addressed to achieve a sustainable future. Sustainable development was defined in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission and it still holds true today: ”development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Typically, the SDG could be divided into 3 areas with some of overlay:
ENVIRONMENTAL – the impact of our production and consumption on the world’s climate and ecosystems.
• SOCIAL – the impact we make on people and cultures around us.
• GOVERNANCE – promoting transparency and accountability for governments and companies.
MMC First Process fully supports and will do what it can to improve sustainability for our globe. There are some development goals where MMC First Process can make a significant contribution. UN SDG 2: End Hunger, which includes improving access to nutritious food and a more secure food availability.
Why is focus on improving food availability important?
Access to a healthy diet and food security promotes well-being, reduces conflict and is the bedrock upon which all further prosperity for people relies. Not worrying about the next meal, decent education and good health are fundamental requirements to fulfilling a good life and creating a sustainable planet.
In the past decade, there has been significant progress that has seen hunger and malnutrition reduced. However, it is critical that this effort continues to include all people. Using the industrial world´s traditional methods of food production, food distribution and dietary habits of the industrialised worlds is simply not possible as it would consume far too many resources. Therefore, we need to think about how we can improve resource management and production in both the developed and developing world. Eliminating hunger also means thinking differently about how we go about sourcing food and how technology and know-how can be used across the globe
Making high quality food in physical proximity to where it is consumed is both environmentally friendly and improves certainty and predictability in the food supply.
Water is the source of life and the ocean has been providing food for people since the beginning of time. Historically, the oceans have represented an unlimited supply of food. As industrial wild catch has become ever more efficient, we have all realised that the ocean represents another resource that we must manage carefully in order to ensure a sustainable supply of food. Maintaining a careful balance is also necessary, if we are to ensure the bio-diversity upon which all things rely. By combining this knowledge with modern technology and innovation we are now able to improve and create new opportunities for the fish industry. We can improve the treatment of fish in the wild-catch industry by working towards a position where all fish taken out of water can be processed for food. The fish-farming industry can also be improved so that all the fish that is farmed can be processed as food. Finally, we can help produce bio-mass in new areas on land, and in previously unavailable areas at sea. In turn, this opens up many opportunities for bringing steady and reliable food supply to new places in the world closer to the consumption, so as to help people whilst reducing pressuring of the ecosystem in the oceans.
Age: 27 International track record: 9th Tokyo Olympics 2021
Silver WorldCup III 2021
Silver WorldCup III 2021
Bronze WorldCup I 2018
Bronze WorldCup I 2018
Bronze WorldCup II 2017
Bronze WorldCup II 2017
Silver
Silver
As an accomplished Olympic rower, Martin has already taken part in several international rowing competitions. To achieve this, he has to be organised and focused as he combines his contributions as an IOC Sustainability Ambassador with progressing in his studies and diligently following his training regime.
As an accomplished Olympic rower, Martin has already taken part in several international rowing competitions. To achieve this, he has to be organised and focused as he combines his contributions as an IOC Sustainability Ambassador with progressing in his studies and diligently following his training regime.
In the year of the coronavirus, Martin Helseth, IOC Sustainability Ambassador, decided to relieve his boredom with a daily dive. With every dive he collected plastic from the ocean.
For nearly four years, elite athlete and rower Martin Helseth (29) has been a sustainability ambassador for MMC First Process.
As a keen freediver and underwater hunter I spend a lot of time in the sea.
In summer 2020, Martin was supposed to compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The buildup for the competition was suddenly put on hold and the team was sent back home from their training camp in Portugal. Martin was sent back home to Aalesund to go into quarantine and did not hold out much hope for the rest of the rowing season. The local rowing club was shut down and there was little activity, so he returned to his favourite hobby of freediving and spearfishing. He started by going out for one dive a day for a couple of months.
By spending so many hours with my head under water, I have gradually built up a personal relationship with the living things down below. I can lie still for a long time and observe how different animals behave and even the tiniest hermit crabs can hold my attention for long periods.
After witnessing at first hand what goes on beneath the surface of the water, Martin made a rule for himself. From now on he would always bring back more waste than fish from his spearfishing trips. However, after trying this out for a while he found out that it made more sense to focus on collecting waste rather than hunting. He made a deal with the local waste handling company whereby they would take care of all the waste he could collect. He also started a crowdfunding campaign, where he set up a goal of cleaning 1kg of waste for every 10 Norwegian kroner donated. At the end of the project, he had cleaned almost 7 tonnes from the areas around Aalesund and Oslo.
The ballan wrasse is a fish that fascinates me. In the aquaculture industry it is usually known by the collective term “cleaner fish”, the family to which it belongs. The ballan wrasse is a monogamous and territorial fish, which means that it lives in a fixed partner relationship, often around the same rock, throughout the whole season. I can watch them swimming around with small bits of seaweed and kelp in their mouths, as they purposefully build a nest where the female will eventually lay her eggs. The male looks after the eggs until they hatch. When the female is approximately six years old, she typically changes sex to become male and the species can live for up to 25 years. I tend to see them, with the wolf fish, as the guardians of the seaweed forest. They help to keep the ecosystem in balance and graze on several species that live by eating seaweed and kelp.
His main activity is rowing and during his years on the national team he has won international medals at World Cup events and in the Under-23 World Championships. He follows a strict training regime and works out between 20 and 30 hours per week. He takes no holiday to speak of. The sport enables him to see the world, meet incredible people and pursue his childhood dreams on a daily basis.
It may sound strange, but after studying the behaviour of these fish, I have decided always to leave them alone, if I see them when I am out with my harpoon hunting for dinner.
Martin has found out that he can use his position as an elite athlete to draw attention to the issues he cares about. Since childhood, he has spent much time in and around the sea and he is now very worried about human impact on our seas, waterways and oceans. He has therefore become an IOC Sustainability Ambassador and an EU Climate Pact Ambassador through an organization called “The Big Plastic Pledge”, which was started by British sailor Hannah Mills. She started the organization after witnessing the bad water quality, and the amount of plastic in the water, during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
On the other hand, a fish that I hunt without any bad conscience is pollock. It may be the case that this fish is under-fished in the west and north. Pollock is an undervalued food fish that can be found at most diving sites I visit. It shows an unusual combination of inquisitiveness and scepticism. To get close to it while hunting I must pretend to be uninterested. If I see a large pollock from the surface I swim a short distance away from it and dive without looking directly at the fish. I swim right down to the bottom and lie down flat so that I look smaller than I really am. I also begin to dig down into the sand a little bit. I also make some guttural noises in my throat and make a minor disturbance in the seaweed around me. This is all to awaken the pollock’s interest.
In this way, the fish will be paralysed immediately before we reach the surface.
”To compete globally, we have to travel. However, I have suggested changes. For example, holding several competitions in one place in a shorter timeframe. I also try to avoid flying, if possible, preferring train, car or even my own bicycle”, says Martin.
I bleed the fish without delay and remove its innards (apart from the roe). Treated like this, the flesh will maintain its high quality all the way to the dinner plate. The innards go straight back into the ecosystem in the area.
“I take great pleasure in being out in the open air and I am mindful that the level of resources we extract from nature for our own consumption needs to be kept as low as possible – and we must make use of everything we harvest,” says Martin. This basic view of how to treat our common resources is strongly shared by MMC First Process.
As an underwater hunter you form a personal relationship with the fish you eat. I consider it a matter of course that when I take a life, all the flesh on the fish will be eaten.
If the fish has roe, I like to make a starter out of it.
“Why plastic, I ask. Why not something else?” “Plastic is visible, and it clearly does not belong in the sea. It is easy for people to understand. Everyday choices matter as we try and work out how we can secure a sustainable future for young people. Martin buys much of his food from a shop that sells food that is close to its expiry date and food that has errors in the packaging, or for other reasons cannot be sold in a regular supermarket. He drives an electric moped and voices his opinion in IOC panel discussions.
I think the best flesh on a fish is in the head. Tongue, forehead and cheeks. The wings can also be fried or boiled along with the backbone to make stock to use in a creamy fish soup. My mouth waters when I think of Grandmother’s fish soup.
I consider it unethical and a waste of resources to throw away edible fish.
In the aquaculture industry utilising the whole fish is a vital factor. This is not just from a financial perspective; we must also think about sustainability and animal welfare. “We never throw away food.” These are words that were said to me repeatedly as I grew up and from that day to this, I continue to agree with them.
“I do what I can, both in my everyday life and in any forum where my voice can be heard. The changes that are required should happen as part of people’s everyday lives and we should all make choices that promote sustainability. The same goes for companies – every company must do what it can to be sustainable. MMC First Process is in a great position to do its part: namely to promote and develop technology to make sure we take good care of the fish we produce”.
MMC First Process has an ambitious goal; that of being “A complete game changer”. It involves paying maximum attention to fish welfare and optimising our clients’ processes to ensure that as much as possible of the fish caught in the ocean or farmed in controlled environments ends up as high-quality food for people. This is a goal that we expect Martin to hold us to and help us to achieve.
The desire to surface and take a breath is becoming pressing when I see the looming hulk over there against the horizon begin to swim towards me.
In 2020 Martin entered into a partnership with MMC First Process, to assist the company in its work of promoting and contributing to a sustainable world. Martin will be advising MMC First Process on its sustainability strategy and will act as our compass, helping us to stay on course as we navigate our way through sustainability and the promotion of our products. Martin grew up in the north-west of Norway and has always loved nature. MMC First Process and Martin share the common vision of making the most out of nature.
When it is within a couple of metres and is lying broadside on to me. I look up, aim my harpoon and pull the trigger. Ideally, I hit it just behind the gills, high up on the fish.
“There are many serious issues with industrial food production, but it is a hugely important part of the sustainable food equation. MMC First Process is using technology, experience and their basic ethos to achieve the highest possible standards. I hope that I can make a contribution to this important journey,” says Martin.
Business target
Enable customers to become the best in the world at managing the sea’s most important food resources effectively, sustainably and carefully
Fish welfare and food production
Competence and collaboration Sustainable value chain
Transforming the world-wide seafood industry by offering complete and sustainable system solutions for the handling, processing and cooling of fish
Transforming the seafood industry by offering complete and sustainable system solutions for the handling, processing and cooling of fish for the seafood industry
There are many sustainability themes that are applicable to MMC First Process. By carefully analysing our stakeholders’ priorities through a materiality assessment we have selected key themes where MMC First Process can have the greatest impact. By focusing on a select number of themes we can maximise our impact on the sustainability goals.
For each theme, we have defined clear objectives to focus our efforts and have chosen methods to measure our progress. All initiatives and change processes are prioritized, based on their ability to influence progress as defined by the measures chosen.
Fish welfare and food production
Competence and collaboration
Sustainable value chain
§ Data driven focus on fish welfare
§ Reduce loss and waste in food production
§ Transform industry through R&D
§ Reduce fish death within fish handling
§ Increase quality of fish
§ Develop documentation standard of fish living
§ Contribute to increased competence
§ Initiate and participated in joint R&D
§ Limit use of virgin and non-renewable material and reduce production waste
§ Ensure decent working conditions and sustainability in supply chain
§ Improve use of digital solutions and services
§ Reduce emissions in production, supply chain and related to end-of-life handling of systems
§ Gradually improve the utilization of global resources
Description
Objectives
MMC First Process enables increased maritime food production through improved fish welfare and quality both within farming and wild catch. We will continually develop and improve systems to increase the share of useful fish.
Data driven focus on fish welfare
Reduced loss and waste in food production
Transform industry through research and development
Reduce fish death within fish handling
Increase quality of wild catch
100% use of residual raw material
At the root of MMC First Process’ contribution to the SDGs is the way MMC First Process enables others to provide increased food security by developing improved hardware, software and processes. Our goal is for all bio-mass to survive and become food of the highest quality. This aligns closely with the needs of our customers, based on a more sustainable production. Both in wild-catch and aquaculture, our solutions improve fish welfare.
At the root of MMC First Process’ contribution to the SDGs is the way MMC First Process enables others to provide increased food security by developing improved hardware, software and processes. Our goal is for all bio-mass to survive and become food of the highest quality. This aligns closely with the needs of our customers, based on a more sustainable production. Both in wild-catch and aquaculture, our solutions improve fish welfare.
Ambition -> No dead fish
Ambition -> No dead fish
Fish welfare is also an ethical and moral choice and this choice is steeped in our heritage. By carefully considering the fish welfare, we remain true to our heritage and can focus on our customer`s value chain and the end result: Superior quality fish products.
The process of improving fish welfare starts at the design table and ends with deployment and training of our customers.
Fish welfare is also an ethical and moral choice and this choice is steeped in our heritage. By carefully considering the fish welfare, we remain true to our heritage and can focus on our customer`s value chain and the end result: Superior quality fish products.
The process of improving fish welfare starts at the design table and ends with deployment and training of our customers.
At MMC First Process, we develop systems that ensure biomass security, and solutions for gentle and safe fish handling. The program defines how the systems are built and used to maintain fish welfare and quality.
DESIGN AND MODELLING
DESIGN AND MODELLING
Our employees aim to be the best in the world at designing fish handling systems. There is continuous improvement and MMC First Process applies design thinking processes to ensure we are ahead of the curve and ensure the fish remain alive and healthy as long as possible.
Our employees aim to be the best in the world at designing fish handling systems. There is continuous improvement and MMC First Process applies design thinking processes to ensure we are ahead of the curve and ensure the fish remain alive and healthy as long as possible.
In the drawing process we consider every single detail of our system with fish welfare in mind. Our documentation and quality control system is such that all parts of the drawings are checked for missteps and errors – not only with regard to operational design, but also to fish welfare.
In the drawing process we consider every single detail of our system with fish welfare in mind. Our documentation and quality control system is such that all parts of the drawings are checked for missteps and errors – not only with regard to operational design, but also to fish welfare.
TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
When converting a drawing to an actual product our engineers are expert welders, down to the smallest detail. Depending on the application of the process, metals and methods of welding are chosen – with fish welfare in mind. The weld seams exposed to fish are particularly monitored and quality assurance protocols are applied in every step of the process. Whilst also continually reducing surplus metal, we ensure all sharp edges are ground and the finished product is fish welfare friendly.
When converting a drawing to an actual product our engineers are expert welders, down to the smallest detail. Depending on the application of the process, metals and methods of welding are chosen – with fish welfare in mind. The weld seams exposed to fish are particularly monitored and quality assurance protocols are applied in every step of the process. Whilst also continually reducing surplus metal, we ensure all sharp edges are ground and the finished product is fish welfare friendly.
DEPLOYMENT AND CONTINUOUS SERVICE
After delivery and implementation of MMC First Prosess’s systems we educate and support our partners and customers to make sure that the systems are used to their full potential. Extensive training programs and support functions are implemented so that the fish handling processes are of the highest quality.
After delivery and implementation of MMC First Prosess’s systems we educate and support our partners and customers to make sure that the systems are used to their full potential. Extensive training programs and support functions are implemented so that the fish handling processes are of the highest quality.
The installation of our systems is a documented process with a complete quality control regime. MMC First Process has developed separate production and control documentation to promote and secure continued development of fish welfare.
The installation of our systems is a documented process with a complete quality control regime. MMC First Process has developed separate production and control documentation to promote and secure continued development of fish welfare.
Description
Objectives
Contribute to developing the seafood industry with systems and solutions for sustainable management and development of maritime protein
Improve fish welfare globally by being fact-based and challenge assumptions in the sector
Strengthen the sector’s reputation and contribute to increased understanding of our sector’s role in global food production
Develop methodology to document standard of living for fish
Contribute to increased competence in the business by training in our equipment
– to improve fish welfare
Initiate and participate in joint research and development projects to increase the industry’s technological capabilities
MMC FIRST PROCESS AND THOSE AROUND US
MMC
We depend on a large array of partners, suppliers and experts to create our solutions. We also want to give something back to the communities we operate. Therefore, this section is divided in two: the innovation process and the knowledge sharing with other communities.
We depend on a large array of partners, suppliers and experts to create our solutions. We also want to give something back to the communities we operate. Therefore, this section is divided in two: the innovation process and the knowledge sharing with other communities.
COOPERATION: INNOVATION
Multiple disciplines and specialists are required to ensure we improve our products and services. We work with the research community to better understand the effects our products have on fish. We work closely with our customers and are able to draw on their expertise.
Multiple disciplines and specialists are required to ensure we improve our products and services. We work with the research community to better understand the effects our products have on fish. We work closely with our customers and are able to draw on their expertise.
Below is the story of how we created and installed our solutions for a British customer.
Below is the story of how we created and installed our solutions for a British customer.
In 2020 we launched a new patented fish pump to improve fish welfare. In June 2020, researchers from Sintef Ocean visited our test plant at our site in Aalesund. They ran tests using fish with sensors attached to measure and analyse any pressure surges and shocks through the pump. Prior to this we had also run tests using delicate foods such as tomatoes, eggs and cucumbers etc.
In 2020 we launched a new patented fish pump to improve fish welfare. In June 2020, researchers from Sintef Ocean visited our test plant at our site in Ålesund. They ran tests using fish with sensors attached to measure and analyse any pressure surges and shocks through the pump. Prior to this we had also run tests using delicate foods such as tomatoes, eggs and cucumbers etc.
We have worked closely and effectively with Sintef Ocean and Møreforskning throughout the project, and all of us have gained valuable knowledge Having these research resources available in our network is important in our endeavour to be a world leader in the handling of live fish.
We have worked closely and effectively with Sintef Ocean and Møreforskning throughout the project, and all of us have gained valuable knowledge Having these research resources available in our network is important in our endeavour to be a world leader in the handling of live fish.
In September 2020, Møreforskning and Fylkesnes Fisk joined us for an experiment where we ran live salmon through the pump. To measure fish welfare, blood samples were taken from all the fish and analysed for lactate, which is an indicator of stress. With the cooperation of the scientific community and our engineers we successfully completed the testing phase, which proved how gentle the new pump is and how little stress it causes to the live fish.
When installing a new plant or process in other locations across the globe, we seek to leave a positive footprint on the local community where we operate. We train local tradesmen and help build local knowledge of welding and sourcing and an infrastructure for service and repairs. We find that by making sure the local business community is vested in our processes and way of thinking, we increase awareness of how we try to soften the industry’s impact on local nature, our genuine interest in sustainability and how local businesses can benefit from this.
Complementary to this local focus is that we avoid spare parts being sent around the globe and help maintain up-time of our client’s systems despite the long distance between the installation site and MMC First Process’ factories in Norway and the Baltics.
Upon contracting a large land-based aquaculture installation in the south of Chile, we wanted to ensure the processes and services we provided would be well maintained and serviced by people with the right skillsets. Instead of basing service intervals on people flying into Chile we partnered with a Chilean construction firm to build the plant and perform service and maintenance.
The long R&D process in MMC First Process means that the products we supply are carefully engineered to optimise fish welfare, take good care of the bio-mass that our customers manage and that the systems work as designed. To ensure this knowledge, skillset and ethos is maintained in Chile we chose to work with a Chilean engineering group that matches our commitments. In forming this partnership, we have been able to share our specialized know-how and helped introduce this knowledge to the south of Chile.
Mechanical engineers based locally are trained and coached to perform the job to our specification. Channelling resources and know-how into the local population improves local market conditions and improves relationships with the local population. We are proud of our operations in Chile and the exciting opportunities they presents for both MMC First Process and for our partners.
Description
Objectives
Customer care, fish welfare and the environment will always be our top priorities. MMC First Process will strive to reduce both our own and our partners and client’s environmental footprint.
Limit use of virgin and non-renewable material and reduce waste in production
Ensure decent working conditions and sustainability in our supply chain
Improve use of digital solutions and services
Reduce emissions in production
Reduce emissions in our supply chain
Reduce emissions related to end-of-life handling of our systems
Gradually improve the utilisation of global resources
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
MMC First Process aims to be a forerunner in reducing carbon emissions and promoting material and resource efficiency in its supply chain. The company aims to intensify this by increasing its engagement with key partners on relevant issues and continuing to increase supply chain transparency related to decent working conditions and the well-being of the employees.
MMC First Process aims to be a forerunner in reducing carbon emissions and promoting material and resource efficiency in its supply chain. The company aims to intensify this by increasing its engagement with key partners on relevant issues and continuing to increase supply chain transparency related to decent working conditions and the well-being of the employees.
Whereas the two other strategic themes are very much about MMC First Process as an enabler for sustainable food production and distribution, the Sustainable supply chain theme involves ensuring that the systems we ourselves provide have as little negative impact as possible, by transitioning from a linear to a circular economy. We will do this by focusing on three main areas:
Whereas the two other strategic themes are very much about MMC First Process as an enabler for sustainable food production and distribution, the Sustainable supply chain theme involves ensuring that the systems we ourselves provide have as little negative impact as possible, by transitioning from a linear to a circular economy. We will do this by focusing on three main areas:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by:
• Limiting use of virgin and non-renewable materials and reducing waste in production
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by:
• Improving the use of digital solutions and services
• Limiting use of virgin and non-renewable materials and reducing waste in production
• Ensure decent working conditions and sustainability in our supply chain
• Improving the use of digital solutions and services
• Ensure decent working conditions and sustainability in our supply chain
As a producer of systems including both hardware and software, MMC First Process’ choice and use of material in our products is our most significant contribution to climate change. Although we will continue to challenge our manufacturing partners on this issue, we acknowledge that our systems designers have a key role in choosing low impact materials, limiting material use, and - by designing modular systems built to facilitate service and repairensuring long service life.
We believe that through our close and long-term relationships with our customers and partners, MMC First Process can be a driving force in the exchange of information and ideas that is fundamental to the design, production, testing and improvement of functionality and resource efficiency of our systems. The ultimate result will be reduced climate impact.
As the pandemic has accelerated the use of remote work and demonstrated the benefits of reducing travel, MMC First Process will intensify its focus on designing systems and solutions to enable remote monitoring and servicing of our systems in use. This will both increase our service level to our customers as well as reducing direct emissions related to air travel by our service staff.
By implementing effective monitoring and control of system performance our service technicians will be able to ensure correct use of the equipment in use, enabling customers to increase fish welfare as well as limit the GHG emissions related to their operations with MMC First Process equipment.
By relentless focus on less steal and more bytes, our ambition is to significantly improve the sustainability performance of our own operations, in our supply chain and of our customers.
It is of paramount importance to MMC First Process that we can trust our supply chain to provide safe and decent working conditions and that any breaches are identified and reported to initiate corrective actions if needed.
This is the reasonwe have decided that all direct suppliers to MMC First Process must sign our updated Code of conduct, including the commitment to collaborate and to be fully transparent with auditors that will be employed to verify compliance with the expectations and requirements described in our Code of Conduct.
It has been vital for MMC First Process to ensure a common understanding of what sustainability means for our own organisation and how it affects the world around us. Sustainability is a multi-faceted concept. This means it has been important for us to master the practical implications, so that we can work towards achieving sustainability in our daily work and can make any necessary changes, throughout the whole organisation.
Achieving the sustainability goals we have set ourselves according to the UN sustainability goals has been a high priority in our work for some time. In 2023 we have taken this work a step further. As enablers, we want to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk, right down to individual job responsibilities in the Company.
”We shall change the engineering process so that we are able to identify and realise stand-alone products where functional requirements are solved in the same way in all technical disciplines. The objective is to ensure efficient and re-usable production processes, while simultaneously establishing a standardised information base for training, maintenance, data logging and improvement”.
”We must produce high quality equipment, so that our customers can manage the oceans’ resources sustainably over time”.
The process of implementing sustainability in the organisation started with understanding the possibilities in individual departments, by examining and recording the starting point in each case. We looked at what is already good in our processes and considered where we should do more, or, where appropriate, less. The initiatives we took forward from this exercise have helped us to lay the foundations for implementing and prioritising sustainability in practice, and to set specific goals for all departments and individuals in an action plan.
Unison about the organisation’s mission, and how it relates to sustainability, has been a key factor in this work. Viewing every individual’s work as an important part of the path towards the goal also enables the individual to see the significance of their own work. This creates the essential motivation and inspiration needed for them to achieve their goals. We can call this “helping to put a man on the moon.”
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy visited NASA for the first time. During his tour of the facility, he met a janitor who was carrying a broom down the hallway. The President then casually asked the janitor what he did for NASA, and the janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” (1) The janitor could see where his contribution fitted into the organization. He was able to connect his purpose with that of the whole organisation. Everything is interconnected, and this story illustrates the importance of all bricks being in place if the jigsaw puzzle is to be completed.
To continue the work of promoting sustainable development, this work must be followed up in the same way as for other strategic work in the organisation. It is achieved through accountability and responsibility, and working continuously on improvement, follow-up and further development. This will ensure commitment, inter-disciplinary collaboration and a sense of obligation. We believe that our methodology is a game changer.
“The Fish Welfare Approved Program is about identifying the characteristics of our products and systems and identifying any modifications needed to maximise fish welfare,” explains Marko Polter who is responsible for identifying potential applications for the program.
“We screen the present set-up and the interrelationships between sub-systems. We look at the materials being used and how they affect fish health. We examine our design, development and manufacturing processes so that we can install products and systems that are as hygienic as possible and cause minimum physical damage to the fish. The goal is for the fish to be handled with care throughout their life span, in order to produce top quality food that commands the highest possible price.
Our work involves identifying how each system and its parts function in practice and, not least, the likely consequences of any changes. For example, we have invested considerable time and effort in our CO2 deculators. We have looked at what happens by way of chemical processes in water, when water quality, temperature, amount of biomass etc. are varied. By doing this we develop and document our understanding of the characteristics of our own products and their tolerance limits, while simultaneously identifying any modifications needed to improve the system.
A full-scale testing station is an important factor input for us and its uses have included testing the CO2 deculators. Valuable data was obtained, which we are carrying forward into further development work.”
Our own testing station
“Our testing station consists of a large water tank and circulation system with powerful circulation pumps that can move big quantities of water, simulating a real situation. It includes a water sampling system and samples are logged using our FISH WELTECH INSIGHT - the brain of the system - which we use to extract data and the signals from the testing station. This system is vital for collecting data from all the sensors and means that we can compare all the different tests and think continually about further development and optimisation.
In the testing station we can test many different products and systems and we can try out variations and flexibility in their use. This is all part of being able to adapt and optimise the characteristics of our products as regards fish welfare, biomass security and product quality.
Being able to replicate and repeat the tests again and again enables us to diagnose and pinpoint, for each product, its positive or negative impact on the KPIs of Fish Welfare and Biosecurity. This progressive testing allows us work towards the best outcome for the fish.”
Identification at the product level
“A key factor for us is close cooperation between product owners and “problem owners”. The latter are often our customers and they face environmental and welfare challenges, not least from the authorities through laws, regulations and directives. The way things usually work is that a customer has a need, wish or problem and comes to us for help and support.
We also have good ideas and expertise, enabling us to see improvement possibilities, so that we can take them up with customers, or our product development department, to pioneer new methods in the seafood industry on terms set by the fish and by nature.
Our technical department is the product owner. It develops new or modified designs based on the challenges and problems experienced by our customers, whether driven by formal statutory demands, or by their own desire to improve quality and fish welfare. The testing station forms the link between the two of them and our own R&D department, as we gain fact-based expertise on which to base our decisions.”
Not just an owner, but also for hire
“In addition, some of our customers and partners have also come to us to test their own ideas and products, where our expertise, the Fish Welfare Programme and the test station have helped to verify the actual properties. In this way we can jointly document the value added through improved fish welfare and the expected quality improvement in the final product. The Fish Welfare Approved Program has become a key part of our developmental structure. It provides important support to our sustainability drive as this is the stage where we can really make the big differences and enable others to make informed, documented choices for fish welfare and sustainability,” says Marko.
MMC First Process has developed a cloud solution that will take fish handling to a whole new level in the future, with its ability to predict fish welfare issues.
Fish Welfare Technology is the general term for the digital solutions produced by the company that leads the world in handling live fish. The solution comprises the industry-leading automation system (Fish WelTech Control), which MMC First Process has been supplying to well boats for many years. New to the portfolio is Fish WelTech Insight, which adds a whole new dimension to the system.
Increased value for our customers
Fish WelTech Insight helps the customer make sound decisions on fish welfare issues. Good fish welfare is crucial for quality, sustainability and profitability. It involves using the facts, measurable parameters and experience to make good choices. All these factors play a part in learning and development, but the complexity of the current system means that extra computing power is needed to take the next steps forward.
Market leader
“Our existing automation system is the best in the market for managing the fish handling operations that are taking place in the present. Fish WelTech Insight then acts as the right hand of our automation system. It helps to understand historical operations and predict what will happen in future, thus broadening the scope of the way we use data and information. Examples include sharing data with the veterinary service and aquaculture installations, investigating incidents, continuous learning and establishing best practice,” says Eivind Vinje, Vice President Research & Development in MMC First Process.
Few limitations
The system architecture has few limitations and is designed with future possibilities in mind. For the customer, this means that Fish WelTech Insight will be under continuous development and the customer’s risk of choosing a system that does not meet the test of time is minimised.
Commitment and enthusiasm
Vinje believes that commitment and continuous learning are essential if digitalisation is to succeed, and this provides much of the impetus behind the new system:
“We want to create a platform and arena where unnecessary barriers to start-up are removed. At the same time, we want to generate enthusiasm and make it impossible not to think about future improvements and what more can be achieved.”
Further development
A prototype has been developed and run in a pelagic factory for a couple of months, as logistics and access are easier when this part of the job is done onshore. The first system on board a well boat is being installed now. Many commercial installations are planned during the year and the company will work closely with these customers to further develop the system.
Technology is the solution
“This is just the beginning. We can see the potential and passionately believe that our technology will play a vital role in meeting the challenge of improving fish welfare and sustainability. We are investing wholeheartedly in the future of Fish WelTech Insight,” concludes Eivind Vinje.
MMC First Process and Spanish APRIA Systems are ready to launch a unique water treatment solution. ELOXIRAS can become a Game Changer in the aquiculture farming industry and solve several of the challenges in the industry.
- We were sceptical when we started sniffing this possibility and technology a couple of years ago - simply because it seemed too good to be true, says the head of seafood processing in MMC First Process, Eivind Vinje with a smile.
Water quality
Variations in the water quality of RAS systems (recirculating aquaculture systems) are a major challenge in the aquaculture industry. MMC First Process has been looking for a solution that could eliminate these variations and ensure predictable and good water quality. ELOXIRAS has been developed since 2011, and MMC First Process is very pleased to now bring it to market.
Breakthrough
- I believe that ELOXIRAS with its advanced technology can generate a breakthrough in solving challenges related to water quality in the aquaculture industry. The solution can be used in several RAS systems, it is cost-effective, environmentally friendly and can provide better fish welfare and fish health, says Eivind.
Electrochemical
MMC First Process has a unique expertise and experience in fish handling solutions and water treatment. APRIA Systems has extensive knowledge in water treatment and reuse of marine and brackish water based on electrochemical oxidation. The two R&D areas found and complemented each other in a close collaboration to develop the product and the solution.
Never before
- The technology of electrochemical oxidation is not new, but it has never been implemented and used in aquaculture on a large scale to ensure better water quality. We have spent a lot of time familiarizing ourselves with the technology and the advantages that these solutions can provide, and we have been in dialogue with potential customers along the way. The technology has been tested and verified over longer periods, and we have received very good feedback, says Eivind.
RAS systems and TAN
In a continuous flow-through system, the water’s most important task is to be a supplier of temperature and oxygen. In the RAS systems, it is not about the water itself, but its content. It is particularly challenging to keep the TAN (total ammonia nitrogen) values below a certain limit. TAN substances come from the faeces of the fish, as well as residual feed, and in excessive doses it is toxic.
Struggling with the biological filter
There are mainly two ways to reduce TAN values. One is to replace the water and the other is to have a biological filter. In many places, there is not enough access to water to be able to have continuous flow-through system, and therefore the biological filter is the only alternative. A biological filter can be demanding in several ways. It takes time to cultivate and maintain it. The effectiveness of the biofilter is also related to the temperature, and many in the industry struggle to reduce the temperature of the biofilter.
- With ELOXIRAS, you do not need a biofilter. This solution removes nitrogen compounds, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and organic matter, and it disinfects. This technology also makes it unproblematic to handle variations in the TAN values, Eivind explains.
Many advantages
Eivind believes the ELOXIRAS solution has many advantages compared to traditional methods. It is cost-effective, and very predictable in terms of investment costs and operating costs. In contrast to a biological filter, the system runs stably so the entire operation can be optimised.
Safe water quality
By ensuring water quality regardless of water temperature, sudden changes in biomass density, short operating times, or limitations in water exchange, MMC First Process with its total solutions will now be able to give its customers significant advantages. In addition, the solution is very environmentally friendly, among other things, it is completely free of chemicals.
Probably less mortality
- Better and stable water quality also results in better fish welfare. The strength of this solution is that you can now start farming the salmon as it is in its natural environment, i.e., variations in water temperature throughout the year. Most research in this area has concluded that precisely this factor provides the best fish health. And apparently less mortality, says Eivind.
The R&D department that Eivind heads was established in 2019. With as much innovation as there is in this industry, MMC First Process decided to set up a separate department that only works with future products and solutions.
- We are an interdisciplinary department that currently has ten people. In the last two years, we have worked hard to launch this water treatment solution. We also considered other solutions, but today we see ELOXIRAS as a perfect extension of our exciting water treatment products, says Eivind.
He is very impressed with APRIA Systems, the scale of their R&D, and the testing and verification that has been done to develop and commercialize the product that will now be launch.
Initially, the market will be wellboats with time-consuming operations with closed circulation, for example transport over long distances, smolt/post-smolt facilities on land, holding tanks on land, and purge tanks on land.
- Eventually we will also consider land-based fish farms, concludes Eivind Vinje, who has great faith in the new product as a significant problem solver for the aquaculture industry.
I believe that ELOXIRAS with its advanced technology can generate a breakthrough in solving challenges related to water quality in the aquaculture industry, says Eivind Vinje, the head of seafood processing in MMC First Process.
Eivind Vinje
Head of seafood
processing
The
Introduction
In the world of aquaculture, innovation is key to addressing the growing global demand for seafood while maintaining environmental sustainability. One remarkable innovation in this field is the closed fish farm developed by MMC FIRST PROCESS. This state-of-the-art technology combines proven principles with cutting-edge design to create a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for fish farming. In this article, we will explore the key features and benefits of MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm and how it contributes to the welfare of fish, environmental sustainability, and overall operational efficiency.
Proven Technology in a ”New Costume”
MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm introduces a revolutionary approach to fish farming by utilizing proven technology in a modern design. The closed fish farm minimizes the risk of failure while offering substantial opportunities for success in sustainable aquaculture. The innovation lies in its ability to create a controlled and optimized environment for fish, resulting in exceptional fish welfare and product quality.
Fish Welfare and Quality
One of the most remarkable aspects of MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm is its crowding grids, which have proven to provide exceptional fish welfare. Fish raised in these closed systems experience water quality and conditions akin to those found in the open sea. This results in fish of exceptional quality, equivalent to those swimming freely in their natural habitat. The system ensures that fish are healthy, stress-free, and free from external contaminants.
The circulation principle of MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm is based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, which has been fine-tuned through years of operational success. This advanced circulation system combines the use of clean fjord water with closed tanks, ensuring a constant flow of sea water through the tanks. The crowding grid, located towards the bottom of the tanks, optimizes fish density, and fish are offloaded gently at the bottom. This design minimizes lifting height and reduces energy consumption, making it an energy-efficient and sustainable solution.
The closed fish farm consists of standardized modules made of steel, featuring circular tanks. This modular design allows for scalability, making it suitable for farms of varying sizes. Additionally, the partial flow system efficiently collects heavy particles in filters, reducing water pollution and minimizing the environmental impact of fish farming. The collected sludge can be further processed into bio-gas or other valuable resources.
Environmental Considerations
MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. The system can be powered by electric power from shore, reducing the carbon footprint associated with on-site power generation. On-board generators are also available for emergency operation, ensuring uninterrupted fish farming operations.
Hygiene and Maintenance
The closed fish farm features smooth surfaces both inside and outside the tanks, facilitating easy cleaning and maintenance. This reduces the risk of disease outbreaks and ensures a clean and healthy environment for the fish.
Autonomous Operation and Safe Mooring
The closed fish farm is designed to operate autonomously and can be easily and safely moored. This feature enhances the farm’s overall operational efficiency and reduces the need for constant human intervention.
Clean fjord farming
MMC FIRST PROCESS’s closed fish farm represents a significant leap forward in sustainable aquaculture technology. By combining proven principles with innovative design, it offers a low-risk, high-reward solution for fish farming. With its focus on fish welfare, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency, this closed fish farm is poised to revolutionize the aquaculture industry, providing high-quality seafood to meet the world’s growing demand while minimizing its ecological footprint. We believe that this is the way forward to keep the fjords clean also in the future.
Refrigeration and heat pump technology skills are in constant demand in the seafood industry. Regrettably, it was decided that the Refrigeration course in Year 2 at Godalen Upper Secondary School in Stavanger should be discontinued because there were too few applicants. MMC First Process knows that the whole industry has an acute need for trade skills of this type, so we intervened and promised an exam bonus of NOK 20,000 to pupils who chose this course at Godalen. MMCFP’s initiative attracted attention and discussion in the media. It rescued and resuscitated the refrigeration, heat pump and ventilation technology course. There were as many as 19 applicants for the vacant places. One had to withdraw along on the way, but 14 passed with brilliant marks. “The class had an average mark of 70 %, so it was a joy to pay the exam bonuses,” says Per Helge Devold, CMO in MMC First Process.
“What shall I say? I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I am immensely proud, and this was a real high for us. At the same time, so much attention has been attracted to this course that we have as many as 21 applicants for next year,” says Otto Alvestad, refrigeration teacher at Godalen Upper Secondary School
This is not the first time MMC First Process has rescued an educational offering of this type. In 2020 the Company intervened to save the refrigeration course in Ålesund. The equipment was worn out and MMC First Process offered a six-figure sum to upgrade it.
The figure below shows how we have chosen to structure our social and environmental commitment.
Martin Helseth
Plastic cleanup
Njård freediving club
Impande
Team Rynkeby
IA company (Inclusive employment)
Experience skills
72-year retirement age
Our values
-Engaged
-Cooperative
-Responsible
Sponsorship with 60-70 activities
Society and environmental fund
Momentium
Regional development
Festivalturen Godalen VGS
Talents Sunnmøre
Master TIP
Students
Apprentice company
Summerjobs
NTNU
We are transforming the seafood industry by offering complete and sustainable system solutions for the handling, processing and cooling of fish to the seafood industry.
SEGMENTS
AQUACULTURE
FISH HANDLING
Wellboats
Land based farming
Holding tanks
Closed fish farming
Stun and bleed
AQUACULTURE
WATER TREATMENT
Wellboats
Land based aquaculture
CleanTreat® Integrated
SEAFOOD PROCESSING
Aquaculture processing
White fish processing
Pelagic processing
AFTERMARKET & SERVICE
Spare parts
Service 24/7
Upgrade and rebuild
GLOBAL FOCUS
Norway and North Sea area
Iceland
Chile, Peru and Ecuador
Japan, Korea
West Africa
USA, Canada
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
SYSTEMS
Cooling
Energy