The Chinese city of Guiyang, the capital of the southwest province of Guizhou, has launched a new air cargo service directly linking the metropolis of nearly 6 million people with the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

Operated by Tianjin Air, the service will operate five flights a week with a stop in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar.

This move follows China’s 2024 decision to grant tariff-free access to imports from Bangladesh and helps the latter country’s seafood sector carry out plans to reduce its reliance on Western export markets.

Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSourcer l Read the full article here

Grieg Seafood announced today that it is scaling back its investment  in Canada as losses continued to mount for the group.

Grieg said that political uncertainties and operating conditions had triggered impairment of its Canadian assets, totalling NOK -1.7 bn ( a loss of around £121.5m). It now intends to curtail growth and investment in Newfoundland and put strategic investments on hold in British Columbia.

Presenting its 2024 fourth quarter results, the company now plans to concentrate on Norway, where results are far more sound.

Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here

Brazilian Fish, a leading tilapia producer, has announced a pioneering move into genomic technology, leveraging genome editing to accelerate genetic improvements in farmed tilapia.

In partnership with the U.S.-based Centre for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT), Brazilian Fish aims to enhance disease resistance, feed efficiency, and growth rates in commercially farmed Nile tilapia .

The collaboration with CAT, a global leader in aquaculture genetics, positions Brazilian Fish at the forefront of innovation in tilapia farming. By integrating advanced breeding technologies, the company aims to enhance efficiency and competitiveness in Brazil’s aquaculture sector, setting a new benchmark for tilapia production.

Source: The Fish Site l Read the full article here

Despite China's blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports, Japan achieved a record high in food exports for the twelfth consecutive year in 2024, driven by increased sales to the United States and other markets, reports Nippon.com.

Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and foodstuffs rose by 3.7% year-on-year to ¥1.51 trillion (approximately $10.1 billion USD based on average 2024 exchange rates). This milestone marks the twelfth consecutive year of record-breaking export figures. China's import suspension, implemented in August 2023 in response to the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, significantly impacted exports to Chinese ports. However, Japan successfully mitigated this shortfall through robust sales to the United States and other regions. While exports continue to rise, achieving the government's 2025 target of ¥2 trillion (approximately $13.4 billion USD) appears challenging.

Fishery Export Performance

Overall fishery exports experienced a 6.3% decline due to import restrictions in China and Hong Kong. Nevertheless, successful efforts to diversify scallop markets resulted in a 0.9% increase in sales, maintaining scallops as the top exported fishery product with a value of ¥69.5 billion (approximately $465 million USD).

Growth and Increased Attendance Mark the Return of the Unified Event

Visitor numbers rose by 30% compared to the 2024 edition. With over 110 exhibitors, 20 conference sessions, and more than 150 speakers, the success of the 2025 edition was firmly established.

The 8th edition of AquaFarm concluded on a high note, marking the successful return of the unified event alongside NovelFarm and AlgaeFarm—now in their 6th and 4th editions, respectively—under one banner at the Pordenone Exhibition Centre.

Source: Fish Focus l Read the full article here

SHM Solutions and Kort Propulsion announce strategic partnership.

SHM Solutions has entered into a strategic partnership with UK-based Kort Propulsion, expanding its product offerings to include thrusters and propulsion systems under the SHM brand. The collaboration aims to provide integrated equipment solutions for a wide range of vessels worldwide.

Kort Propulsion, which has over 90 years of experience in propulsion technology, sees the partnership as an opportunity to extend its market reach and enhance service capabilities.

Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here

Alotta, which makes floating solar panel systems, has signed a contract with Norwegian salmon farmer Emilsen Fisk for the delivery of an Alotta Solar Hybrid 120 to its site at Båfjordstranda, Trøndelag. It will be the world’s most northerly floating solar power plant.

The project has received support from the Norwegian government’s green transition agency Enova with a grant of 45%, which the parties said has been an important incentive for realising the green energy solution.

Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

Container freight rates from Asia to both Europe and the United States continue their downward trend.

The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI), published by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange (SSE) on February 14th, registered 1758 points, a 138-point decrease from the previous week.

Route-specific data reveals that freight rates for 40-foot containers to North America's East Coast have fallen to $4825, dropping below the $5,000 threshold for the first time since December of last year.

This $665 weekly decline represents the most significant drop observed in 2024. Simultaneously, freight rates to North America's West Coast decreased to $3544, a $400 reduction from the previous week.