01-Jul-2015 vs. 1.1.
AQUABIOTECH GROUP
ABT Innovia
Capability Statement
Excellence through Innovation and Quality
Table of Contents
Who We Are
1
ABT Innovia
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Systems Introduction and Overview
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Monitoring System
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RAS Technology
10
Species Available for Testing
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Challenge Models
15
Experimental Feed Production/Fish Nutrition
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Laboratory and Analytical Capabilities
17
Antifouling Trials
18
Aquatic Toxicity Trials
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Animal Welfare
20
Biosecurity
20
National, EU and Global Research Initiatives
21
Internships
22
Further Expansion
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Who We Are
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The AquaBioTech Group is a leading independent aquaculture,
ABT Marine provides a range of services including marine
fisheries and environmental consulting, technology
surveying, construction support and mapping/GIS. The
provider, engineering, development, testing/research
techniques we employ include bathymetric and side scan
and training company strategically located in the centre of
sonar surveys, bottom type assessments, sub-bottom
the Mediterranean on the island of Malta, operating
assessments, data confirmation and site inspections using
globally with clients and projects in over fifty-five countries.
both remote sensing and underwater video techniques.
The AquaBioTech Group undertakes a variety of aquaculture,
ABT Aquatics main areas of work range from initial
fisheries and aquatic environmental projects through its
feasibility studies, outline planning with concept
regional offices and selected partners throughout the
development, architectural and structural design with
world. The vast majority of the company’s work is related
engineering, filtration and Life Support System (LSS)
to the marine or aquatic environment, encompassing
development, through to livestock supply, management
aquaculture developments, market research/intelligence,
support and turnkey operations.
through to project feasibility assessments, finance acquisition, project management, technology sourcing and technical
AquaCirc™ recirculation system is developed by
support and training.
AquaBioTech Group and is a unique recirculation system which combines numerous state of the art recirculation
ABT Aquaculture has developed a number of highly efficient
apparatus. The various components are specifically
and cost effective Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS).
designed for use as a land based recirculation system, for
These can be applied to hatcheries, broodstock, aquatic
both marine and freshwater setups. The system can
research and on-growing operations. Our highly sustainable
accommodate different types of species and life stages and
approach incorporates aquaponic and hydroponic systems.
is designed to maintain optimal water quality for aquaculture,
We constantly strive to be at the forefront of our industry
low in ammonia and nitrogenous suspended solids.
by testing and developing innovative technologies. ABT Innovia offers research services to support the development of vaccines, functional feeds, alternative protein sources, culture technologies and production techniques with a wide range of commercially important species under any combination of culture conditions in our fully licensed and bio-secure R&D facilities.
AquaBioTech Group Central Complex Naggar Street Targa Gap, Mosta
AQUABIOTECH GROUP
MST 1761 MALTA G.C.
www.abtinnovia.com www.aquabt.com www.abtmarine.com www.abtaquatics.com www.aquacirc.com
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ABT Innovia
The AquaBioTech Group has been continually upgrading and expanding its facilities, which currently includes a total of sixteen (16) trial rooms - “Bays” with over twenty (20) individual trial systems, all utilising the AquaBioTech Group‘s highly efficient and stable RAS technology. This first expansion phase is now complete and the new Bays are completed from a general infrastructure basis, all own dedicated drain lines, more energy efficient pumps using inverter technology and heat-exchange units with increased efficiencies, digital LED lighting, room specific ventilation and computerised water quality monitoring.
Other Bays have not been completed with tanks and filtration at this time so as to enable clients to have systems configured to their specific requirements. Having our own GRP fiberglass production facility means that we can make tanks of any shape and size and normally we can put an entire system together and have it operational in less than two weeks, if required. The main areas of contractual industrial research undertaken for our clients and expertise areas of the company are described as: Veterinarian Research
The overall design and finishing enhance sanitation; with epoxy resin floors and walls for ease of cleaning. Some of the new Bays have already been fitted out with tanks and RAS units to client’s specifications.
The veterinarian unit is geared towards undertaking various aspects of applied research into vaccine development, testing, efficacy and challenge trials as well as viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases in aquatic animals.
Offshore testing
Water quality labs
Feed formulation research and studies
Fish health research and studies
Shellfish
Training and education
Ecotoxicology
Larvae culture ABT Innovia
Ornamentals
Algae Antifouling Fish nutrition
Hatchery technology
Nutraceuticals Bioprospecting Aqua technology testing
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Aquatic Nutrition Research/Studies The fish nutrition facility is available to international companies to benchmark commercially available products and carry out investigative research on new products. Such as testing new formulations or specialised novel ingredients for providing new approaches to improving fish growth, reducing environmental impacts or improving fish health. In-depth detailed research, such as digestive physiology, metabolic biochemistry and quality issues can also be undertaken at the facility in a wide variety of species.
Testing Facilities and Core Services The wet-labs at the facilities are divided into separate areas so as to ensure maximum biosecurity and client confidentiality. Each of the wet rooms contains a set of holding tanks with self-contained recirculation systems providing high-level mechanical, chemical and biological filtration. All systems are stage filtered down to 1 μm and have the option of continuous UV or ozone treatment. Systems operate with fresh or seawater with temperatues ranging from 10 °C to 32 °C. Multiple RAS units can be operated within one facility, isolating batches of tanks.
Hatchery Technology and Production Techniques The research facility hosts a fully operational hatchery using the very latest technology working towards developing new techniques for improving hatchery production/efficiency and knowledge of new species production in both commercial and ornamental aquaculture. Biomedical/Nutraceutical Research - Bioprospecting Research into various applications of aquatic based products for use in nutrition as well as human and veterinarian medicines is also available as the resources of the sea continue to yield many new products.
The fully operational research hatchery offers both research and training facilities with complete live feed production of rotifers, artemia and various algae species. Each of the rooms can be used for a variety of research purposes including: • • • • •
Larviculture Veterinarian and pathology research Nutritional research Aquatic toxicity trials Ornamental, novel and carrier species
Main Research Areas •
Product research and reporting/benchmarking
•
New/alternative species research
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Nutrition/feeding trials - Commercial and ornamental aquaculture species
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Vaccine, efficacy and safety testing and challenge trials
•
Technology testing, commercial development and technical direction
•
Technical support and testing for new products
•
Hatchery training facilities, including live feed and larvae culture
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Systems Introduction and Overview Bay 0 S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (1,500 L each) with full RAS & faeces collectors. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 1 S1: Eighteen (18) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. The Bay can be operated for both feed or challenge trials. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 2 S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Nine (9) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S3 + S4 + S5: Each system has four (4) tanks with 250 L in each tank and each system has full RAS capabilities. These three (3) systems in the Bay can also be operated as one large system of twelve (12) tanks. Freshwater or marine species system.
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Bay 3 This bay has a dividing wall with two completely separate RAS units on each side. An interconnection is possible if required. The bay is currently used for quarantining and stock-holding of marine fish. S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (1,100 L each) with full RAS capabilities. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (1,100 L each) with full RAS capabilities. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 4 Bay 4 can be operated as one or two “state“ systems – the room is divided by a wall with separate equipment on each side that can be interconnected if required. S1: Six (6) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Six (6) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. State systems can be operated at two (2) levels (350 L or 500 L) Bay 5 S1: Nine (9) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. State system can be operated at two (2) levels (350 L or 500 L)
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Bay 6 S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (300 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 7 S1: Eighteen (18) tanks, (1,000 L each) for ongrowing and immunisation. Freshwater - assigned to Tilapia/ Pangasius/Asian Seabass/Snakeheads or other similar species with an additional eight (8) tanks, (60 L) for fry ongrowing and immunisation.
Bay 8 S1: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (500 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.
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Bay 9 S1: Eight (8) tanks in the system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Eight (8) tanks in the system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. All tanks have acrylic viewing windows for greater ease of fish behaviour observation. The compact rack design of the systems utilise maximal space and experimental capacity available in this bay.
Bay 10 S1: Sixteen (16) tanks in the system (40 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 11 S1: Eighteen (18) tanks in the system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Twelve (12) tanks in the system (40 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.
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Bay 12 A fully equipped laboratory with microscope, steromicroscope, analytical balances, incubators, and other equipment to support the experimental trials development in our facility. S1: Twenty-four (24) tanks in each system (100 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Eighteen (18) tanks in each system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S3: Eighteen (18) tanks in each system (10 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system.
Bay 14 Vaccine Batch release and efficacy. S1: Six (6) tanks in the systems (150 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. S2: Six (6) tanks in the systems (150 L each) with full RAS. Freshwater or marine species system. Bay 15 and 16 S1: Open configuration – available to be customised to the exact requirements of clients
Bays and Facilities
Additional Bays are also available for development as part of the Phase III expansion where groups of tanks up to 7 m3 each can be constructed in systems with multiple replicates of tanks.
Monitoring System As a key component of the upgrade, the monitoring system provides an extremly improved level of monitoring, control, electronic reporting and trial security with flexible monitoring configurations available for each and every system, as per client’s requirements. The AquaBioTech Group system is a measuring, monitoring and control system designed for use in fish farms. It is both multichannel and multi-parameter. A single system forms a complete modular small-size process control system. Several systems can be combined into a Commander Pacific system for larger installations.
ABTG Monitoring System
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An important feature of the Pacific system is its extensive connection capabilities. It has P-NET data bus for connection to other Pacific units and systems, IP connection for LAN or internet, an interface for other field bus units and multiple USB ports that can be used for a number of additional purposes. It also has an SD card socket for data interchange. A supplementary option, especially useful for sea cage or remote ponds, is the Wireless DO Probe system that makes it easy to connect probes at large distances from the main unit. A single Pacific system consists of one Pacific main unit, probes, power supplies and other equipment and instruments as needed.
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RAS Technology
Design and Engineering In addition, ABT Innovia and the AquaBioTech Group are proud to offer design and engineering services for recirculating aquaculture facilities for both research and commercial use. Based on our expertise, we can design facilities that can run a wide range of daily water exchange rates – from flow-through to zero exchange. We can also independent filtration solutions for solids removal, biofiltration, gas exchange, water polishing and disinfection. Internal Design and Manufacturing ABT Innovia and The AquaBioTech Group, also applies it expertise on the design and manufacturing of Glass Reinforced Plastic equipment for aquaculture facilities: • Solids separation devices: hydro cyclones and radial flow separators • Down flow bubble contactors: oxygen and ozone cones • Protein skimmers • Packed columns: oxygenation and degassing • Tanks for every application: fish tanks, biofilter tanks, sumps.. etc.
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ExperiRAS™ Technology
Commercial RAS Technology
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Species Available for Testing
With the new facility being far more efficient, trials on cold water species like Salmon, Trout, Carp and Coho and tropical species like Pangasius, Asian Seabass and Shrimp (L. vannamei) are now more cost effective than ever. We have also worked hard to develop secure reliable supplies of a number of additional species.
At this time, the following list represents species we are able to secure from known sources, but we are also open to requests from clients to work on other species if required.
Fish Species Warm - Freshwater Tilapia/Oreochromis niloticus (and other species) Pangasius/Pangasius hypophthalmus Clarias Catfish/Clarias gariepinus Asian Seabass/Lates calcarifer
Sturgeon/Sterlet/Acipenser sp.
Nile Perch/Lates niloticus
Carp/Koi Carp/Cyprinus carpio (and other species)
Tambaqui/Colossoma macropomum
Perch/Perca fluviatilis
Snakeheads/Channa striata and C. micropeltes
European Catfish/Silurus glanis Pike Perch/Sander lucioperca European eel/Anguilla anguilla Tench/Tinca tinca Marine
Cold - Freshwater
Sea bream/Sparus auratus
Rainbow Trout/Oncorhynchus mykiss
European Sea bass/Dicentrarchus labrax
Brown/Sea trout/Salmo trutta
Turbot/Scophthalmus maximus
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Sole/Solea solea/Senegalensis
Japanese flounder/Paralichthys olivaceus
Meagre/Argyrosomus regius
Salmon/Salmo salar
Yellowtail/Seriola lalandi
Coho salmon/Oncorhynchus kisutch
Groupers/Epinephelus sp. Cobia/Rachycentron. canadum Red snapper/Lutjanus spp Silver Pomfret/Paralichthys olivaceus Algae
Shellfish Thalassiosira, Phaeodactylum
Sea urchins/Paracentrotus lividus
Nanochloropsis
Mussels/M. edulis and galioprovincialis
Chlorella, Phormidium
Limpets/Patella sp.
Isochrysis
Razor clams/Ensis sp.
Chaetoceros, Tetreselmis
Manila clams
Pavlova
Oysters
Skelotonema
Abalone
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Ornamentals Marine Clownfish Freshwater Angelfish/Pterophyllum scalare Zebra Danio/Danio rerio Live Feeds
Aquatic Ecotoxicology Rotifers/Brachionus sp. Artemia/Artemia sp. Copepods
Acute and Chronic Trials
Artemia, Algaes, Sea urchins, Fish, Rotifers, Daphnia, Mussels, Bugula, Barnacles
Bioaccumulation Trials
Other Invertebrates Sponges Corals
Mytilus sp., Fish …as well other emerging species of economic importance.
Challenge Models With the addition of these new species, we have been working on expanding our list of challenge models. Work has also been completed on our cohabitation challenge models for Tilapia (O. niloticus) with Streptococcus and European Sea bass with Photobacterium which are all proving to be very robust and providing consistent data.
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Environmental Stressor Challenges • Thermal stress: high and low temperatures, static and controlled rising/lowering levels • pH stress: static and rapid change • Oxidative stress, low DO: static and controlled reduction of levels • Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ): static and controlled elevation of levels • Stocking density and stress indicators: cortisol levels.. etc. Parasite Challenge Models (under development) • Monogeneans (Sparicotyle chrysophrii, Diplenactum aquaeans) • Myxosporeans (E. leii, E. scophthalmi) Our Challenge Models Include • Challenge by pathogen inoculation, generally by intra-peritoneal or intramuscular injection, depending on pathogen • Challenge by cohabitation • Application of vaccine/therapeutants in bath, orally or inoculated, depending on pathogen and experimental design • Application of environmental stressors - if required by the experimental protocol
Challenge Model List Streptococcus agalactiae Tilapia
Aeromonas salmonicida Trout and Salmon
Streptococcus iniae Tilapia
Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS) Tilapia
Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida Sea bass - Pasteurellosis
Bacillary necrosis of Pangasius (BNP) / Enteric Septicemia of Catfish (ESC)
Renibacterium salmoninarum Trout - Bacterial kidney disease – BKD
Edwardsiella tarda Turbot challenge
Vibrio anguillarum Sea bass
Yersinia ruckeri Trout - Enteric Red Mouth Disease (ERMD)
Vibrio harveyi Sea bream
Nodavirus / VNN Groupers, Sea bass, Asian sea bass
Aeromonus hydrophilia Tilapia and Pangasius
Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) Cyprinus carpio
Edwardsiella ictaluri
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Experimental Feed Production/Fish Nutrition
Different types of nutrition trials can be performed in our facilities: • Benchmarking performance trials using different commercially available feeds where fish are grown for a period of time, whilst biometric parameters are recorded • Feed formulation trials, where desired raw materials or additives are included at different inclusion levels in experimental diets. Feeds can be formulated by the client or with the help of ABT Innovia • Functional feed trials: where feeds containing special ingredients are fed prior to a particular challenge such as thermal stress, low oxygen or an immunological challenge • Digestibility trials
Laboratory and Analytical Capabilities Internal Analysis and Practices
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With Partner Laboratories and Research Centres
• General biometry
• RT PCR
• Examination via gross necropsy
• ELISA
• Optical microscopy
• Viral isolation and cell culture
• Histology
• Enzymatic activity at tissue level
• Microbiology
• Proximate composition of whole body or target
• Digital Imaging
organs
• Vaccine residue
• Protein expression in specific tissue
• Elastomer and PITs
• mRNA expression in specific tissue
• Tagging
• Sediment analysis
• Spielberg test
• HPLC
• Physiological/Biochemical parameters
• Off flavouring geosmin/MIB
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Antifouling Trials
Marine fouling causes enormous problems in the maintenance of vessels, aquaculture cages, ropes and moorings as well as intake pipelines, Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants and others strutures. Countries worldwide are spending billions every year to fight biofouling using toxic compounds that kill non-target organisms and accumulate in the marine environment. The assessment of the antifouling activity should be established at different levels. Our licensed facility provides laboratories, testing tanks and field studies to assess the antifouling activity of different products. Field Tests – Marina and Offshore
Laboratory Tests • Barnacle settlement assay • Bryozoan settlement assay • Mussel attachment inhibition assay • Biofilm growth inhibition • Algae growth inhibition • Leach rate potential
Aquatic Toxicity Trials This field of study includes freshwater, marine and sediment environments. Common tests include standardised acute and chronic toxicity tests lasting 24–96 hours (acute test); to seven days or more (chronic tests). These assessments measure endpoints such as survival, growth and reproduction, at each concentration in a gradient, along with a control test. This field of study can be used to test chemical compounds, wastewaters, groundwaters, sediment pore waters, effluents, pesticides and soil or waste leachates. Our facility provides the following tests:
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Ecotoxicity Tests • Algae growth inhibition • Acute test with Artemia salina • Embryo toxicity tests with sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus • Embryo toxicity tests with fish – various species, such as D. Rerio • Chronic test on fish – various species • Rapid Toxkit microbiotests
Bioaccumulation Tests • Mussels/clams/oysters • Zebra fish/Danio rerio • Sea bream/Sparus aurata
Physiological/Biochemical Parameters • Clearance rates • Condition index • Liver somatic index • Protein content • Catalase activity • Lipid peroxidation • Acetylcholinesterase activity • Gluthatione S-transferase activity • Lysosomal neutral red retention
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Animal Welfare
ABT Innovia operates under the three R’s principle: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. Over time, the creation of more robust challenge models has led to a reduction in the numbers of fish used. ABT Innovia is also fully authorised to carry out animal testing and is subject to a constant animal welfare review and improvement process by the local authorities.
Biosecurity Our facilities operate with a high degree of bio-security so as to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Our staff are trained in industry-leading biosecurity procedures and the work-flows around the facilities are designed to keep biosecurity risks to a minimum. Some of our biosecurity policy features include: • Disinfection of footwear, gear and hands at the entrance of every lab • Strict access control to experimental bays • Individual sets of footwear, equipment and water quality sensors on each bay • Work flow forbids staff from re-entering the labs after pathogen work has been carried out • Constant disease surveillance is done on water and stock • Quarantine procedures are in place for every batch of incoming fish, even if sanitary certificates have been provided by the supplier
National, EU and Global Research Initiatives The AquaBioTech Group is actively involved in research and academic activities at both National and European level, either in collaboration of local universities and public bodies or as part of larger consortia which takes part in Europe’s main research schemes. In Malta: collaboration with the University of Malta performing oceanographic work such as ROV surveys, seabed mapping and sampling work. EU: Active involvement in FP7 projects and other initiatives. Currently ABT is actively involved in 4 running FP7 and 1 Horizon 2020 projects whilst many more have been completed. International: We have started our involvement with the EU-China Dragonstar Scheme and linked EU-China business and technology co-operation, as well as the Business Avenues and EU Gateway Programme to establish a long-lasting business and research collaboration with counterparts from Korea, Japan and South-East Asian countries.
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Internships
The revamped facilities and the existing research activities provide ample opportunity for students from all over the world to improve their skills in fish rearing, aquaculture engineering, water chemistry, fish health and fish nutrition.
Sergio A. Gayoso Spain
Over the years, our facilities have received dozens of students from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Rodolfo Villalobos Costa Rica
Nelli Varsรกnyi Hungary
Marie-Teresa Grobler Zimbabwe
Day Thanh Pham Vietnam
Canada USA Mexico Columbia
Norway
Venezuela Costa Rica Brazil Vietnam
The Netherlands France
UK Ireland Germany
Italy Spain Portugal
Russia Poland Hungary Slovenia Croatia Moldova Bulgaria Turkey
Greece Malta Morocco Egypt Lebanon Saudi Arabia Nigeria Zimbabwe
Further Expansion
In 2015 we started the third phase of our expansion and it is expected that a number of new wet labs and facilities will be available by the end of 2016 in order to satisfy the growing sectoral demand. These facilities will include additional quarantine and stock fish rooms and additional RAS facilities for fish nutrition and challenge trials, as well as a new dedicated aquatic ecotoxicology laboratory and testing systems for fish and shellfish species. The company has also recently expanded its licensed offshore marine experimental site area which is used for applied research and testing for a range of actions including the testing of anti-fouling materials, water quality monitoring equipment and other oceanographic instrumentation/research activities.
Address: Central Complex, Naggar Street, Targa Gap, Mosta MST 1761, MALTA G.C.
Telephone: +356 2258 4100
E-mail: info@aquabt.com
Website:
www.abtinnovia.com www.aquabt.com www.abtmarine.com www.abtaquatics.com www.aquacirc.com
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AQUABIOTECH GROUP
www.abtinnovia.com