Gigantic pipe tow in Farsund

8. 8th November 2024

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Several vessels from Farmar were in action when the first section of the pipeline for aquaculture company Baring Farsund was towed into place last night.

Farmar Athos is stretching the first section of the pipeline from Lundevågen to Prestøysundet (All drone photos: Daniel Hovden)

Text: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

- "It's a demanding and exciting operation. Each pipe is 2,500 metres long and will be towed through Nordsundet and then out into the archipelago between islets and reefs," explains John W. Nilsen, CEO of Farmar.

The pipes come ready-made from the supplier in lengths of 500 metres. At the centre of the Sellegrodsfjord, they are soldered to concrete and welded together.

- WHEN THE TUBES are 2,500 metres long, we tow them out into the fjord. We had to take the first pipe all the way out past Skotteflua, before bending it to get it into Lundevågen," says Nilsen.

The tugboat Farmar Athos led the way in the first pipe tow. In addition, several workboats were involved in the operation, which lasted well into the day on Friday.

Two interconnecting pipelines will be laid - one to carry water out of the fish farm and one to bring water in. Each will have a total length of just over 8,000 metres.

- SINCE The maximum length of pipe that can be towed at any one time is just over 2,500 metres, so there will be a total of six tows. Once the pipes are in the right position, they will be spliced and placed on the seabed," says Nilsen.

Farmar has already assisted with multibeam scanning of the entire pipe route.

- "The pipes are lowered exactly in the position chosen by Baring and approved by the Norwegian Coastal Administration," says Nilsen.

FARMAR ATON has transported the concrete weights to Sellegrodsfjorden, where the pipelines are now being temporarily stored and prepared. The company Dykkerteknikk has the main responsibility for assembling and laying the pipelines.

- But we will help where needed," says Nilsen, who expects the work to continue until February or March next year.

Baring Farsund will be the closest neighbour to the Farmar base in Lundevågen in Farsund. Construction of the fish farm is well underway.

The plan is to build a facility that can produce up to 24,000 tonnes of postsmolt or edible fish when fully developed. The first stage of construction will be ready in March-April next year.