Aquaculture Deal With Norway’s AKVA Group, Aqualine

Norwegian companies AKVA Group and Aqualine have signed a deal to supply technical aquaculture equipment to Iran to boost production capacity by 20,000 tons.

The agreement was signed on October 1 in the presence of Norway’s Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg. For the past week, Sandberg has been visiting Iran, along with a large delegation from the aquaculture industry.

“I think this has opened doors,” he said via telephone to news agency “NTB.

The Iranians say they need both technology and management knowledge, and that it is to Norway they look for this,” said Sandberg.

A challenge for Norwegian companies that want to trade with Iran is that many European banks are anxious about associating themselves with Iranian banks, which until January were subject to international sanctions due to the country’s nuclear program.

“I encourage Norwegian banks, particularly DNB, to look into solutions to this,” said Sandberg, who added he has no qualms about opening up trade between Norway and Iran.

“I have full confidence that Norwegian companies with contracts in Iran will stick to laws and ethical rules,” he added.

The Norwegian minister was in Iran last week at the head of a 100-member delegation representing 62 companies for the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Fishery Industries Exhibition, known as Iranseafex, from October 1 to 3.