Making Future: AFRY’s contribution to the international aquaculture revolution with RAS _ Building tomorrow’s sustainable protein systems today, AFRY is shaping the future of Bluefood production with innovative land-based aquaculture solutions. From Europe to the Middle East, the company is turning vision into reality through Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS).
Who is AFRY? AFRY is a leading international engineering, design, and advisory company, with expertise spanning multiple sectors including energy, infrastructure, industry, and digital solutions. The Aquaculture Division of AFRY is based in Switzerland, from where it coordinates projects and expertise in Blue Food and land-based fish farming. AFRY Aquaculture: https://afry.com/en/area/aquaculture | AFRY Blue Food https://afry.com/en/area/blue-food
Bluefood and the global context In today’s world, marked by accelerating climate change, population growth, and increasing pressure on natural resources, the global food system faces an unprecedented challenge: producing more and better food with less impact. Imagine a world where our food choices are not only healthy but also sustainable. Today, more than ever, people are becoming conscious about what they consume, favoring local and sustainable food production. As we look for better ways to produce protein, more attention is turning to seafood instead of traditional land-based sources. Seafood, long valued for its health benefits, is emerging as a key part of this transition. Marine proteins—traditionally sourced from wild stocks—can now be responsibly produced on land, reducing pressure on the oceans. Fish is leading this shift, but the concept extends to a wide range of marine species used for food, collectively known as Bluefood. In this spirit of innovation and urgent change, Bluefood production is gaining increasing attention worldwide, and AFRY is playing a pivotal role in contributing to the development of this sector.
RAS: the technology shaping tomorrow For several years now, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) have emerged as a key technology in this transformation. These land-based systems offer a range of advantages:
- Exceptionally low water consumption compared to traditional aquaculture
- Minimal environmental impact
- Full control over biological processes and system outputs
- Proximity to consumer markets
- Adaptability to different scales and species But transformation doesn’t happen by itself. It requires vision, technology, finance, and the courage to rethink traditional food systems. It also requires collaboration between innovators, investors, and the communities that will nurture the next generation of food production. AFRY’s involvement in this transformation is far from symbolic. Through its engineering expertise and project leadership, the company is actively shaping a future where Sustainable Bluefood production becomes the standard—not the exception.
AFRY’s role in aquaculture innovation As the need for sustainable protein sources accelerates, the shift from traditional Aquaculture to land-based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) is no longer a distant prospect—it’s already taking shape across the world. At AFRY, we don’t just talk about the future. We build it. Our Aquaculture and Blue Food specialists drive this transition by delivering a full-lifecycle solutions for land-based fish farms—from strategic planning and permitting to design, construction, and operational support—with a holistic approach and a strong focus on RAS technology and fish processing. Over the past years, AFRY has been involved in numerous RAS developments, helping investors and developers navigate the complexity of building state-of-the-art facilities tailored to local contexts. The company’s portfolio includes projects of varying scales and species, each with unique technical, environmental, and economic features. This isn’t a theoretical trend—RAS technology has been proven to work, and so have the business models. We’ve already completed several successful facilities that are fully operational, and many more are currently under development. Land-based aquaculture is gaining real momentum, and AFRY is playing an active role in turning vision into infrastructure.
A multidisciplinary approach This progress is only possible thanks to a deeply multidisciplinary approach. Successful aquaculture projects require the integration of biology, engineering, project management, energy strategy, regulatory expertise, and solid business planning. But even more importantly, they require ongoing dialogue between all involved parties. To better understand the diversity of our work and the impact of this approach, we now turn to a few selected case studies from across the region.
Case studies: proven references Concrete success stories already speak for themselves. From Northern Europe to the Middle East, AFRY is partnering with forward-thinking companies to build the next generation of fish farms – facilities that not only meet today’s demand but are ready for tomorrows challenges. Among the examples, we have a salmon production facility in Switzerland, delivering fish of the highest quality. Swiss Lachs: https://afry.com/en/project/mountain-tops-and-happy-fish
This is why AFRY’s role is so critical: bringing hard evidence, operational excellence, and proven references to the table, reducing risks and building investor confidence.
Making Future: AFRY’s contribution to the international aquaculture revolution with RAS
