Fresh Salmon (Salmo Salar)
The market, both in Europe, Asia and USA value the quality of salmon, such as taste, colour, consistency and (last but not least) – freshness!
Approximatly 20% of all Norwegian salmon is transported by air, to the markets in Asia and USA. The rest – 80%, has a market in/within Europe, and transportation is done in combination truck/train.
The Asian market has a stronger growth than the rest of the world and there will be a need of increased logistic capacity.
Todays alternative to airfreight and delivery of fresh products to overseas markets are none! Transportation by air, from the Far East to Europe is for the time being defining the capacity of airfreight. Salmon exporters in Norway are taking advantage of this inbalance and in a way they are contributing to a more acceptabel emission account.
Why fresh?
In Asia almost 70% of the salmon is consumed raw. A studie done by Nofima back i 2003 stated that frozen, melted salmon appered more bitter, more waterized and with «different» taste. Besides, the colour of the fish meat was less red and had less clear fat streaks compared with fresh salmon.
Covid 19 and all market restirctions related to this, has proven that fresh salmon is a very strong market player both in Asia and USA. The demand encreased under the pandemi. This confirm that the strong demand after fresh seafood products from up north Norway, is in favour of developeing more effective transportation systems – that is more direct air transport – from up north Norway.
Living King crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)
Catching crabs in the northermost region i Norway – Finnmark – is a quite new «industry».
The Fishermen is operating small vessels in and outside the fiords, the catch is done with fish pots. After emptying the fish pots the crabs are getting ready for transport, in boxes very much alike salmon boxes. Depending on size there is one or two crabs together with ice – pr box. To get them alive to destination far east, the time frame is 40 hours. As the crabs is catched alive and is transported alive to markets in the Far East, this really is considered as a fresh product!!
Living Crabs over Evenes has so far been a success – no crab has so far died under transportation to the Market!
Other species
All kinds of fresh seafood, with a hurry to the markets – is welcome onboard. We will mention species that now are «running up»:
- Fresh cod
- Fresh saithe
- Fresh Halibut