Aker BioMarine

Aker BioMarine AS
TypePublic (OSE: AKBM)
IndustryMarine biotechnology
Headquarters
Oslo
,
Norway
Key people
Matts Johansen (CEO)
Ola Snøve (chair)
Revenue469 million kr (2012)[1]
NOK –35 million (2012)[1]
NOK –66 million (2012)[1]
Number of employees
32 (2026) Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.akerbiomarine.com

Aker BioMarine is a norwegian company that develops krill-derived products for consumer health and nutrition.[2]

It is the world's largest catcher of krill, with 64% of 620,000 metric tons of krill taken from the Southern Ocean in 2025.[3] Given the resulting impact risk on the Antarctica ecosystem and whales, Aker BioMarine is the subject of critics, its ship Antarctic Sea being struck by Paul Watson's ship Bandero on March 31, 2026.[4][5]

History

Aker BioMarine was established as an independent enterprise in 2006, building on years of deep-sea fishing experience as part of Norway's Aker Group. Its previous business activities were with the exception of the biotechnology company Natural, previously organized under Aker Seafoods Holding, a 100 percent subsidiary of Aker ASA. In 2003, Aker BioMarine began harvesting and processing Antarctic krill.[6] Aker BioMarine claims to solve the problem of harvesting krill in both a commercially viable and environmentally sound way through its proprietary "ECO-HARVESTING" technology. The company re-listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange on July 6, 2020.[7]

Technology and products

Aker BioMarine produces krill products rich in omega-3 phospholipids. Krill is mainly used for the production of krill meal and krill oil, which in turn is used for animal or aquaculture feed and for human consumption through health products and omega-3 supplements.

The company has registered Superba as the company’s brand name for nutraceuticals and Qrill as the company’s brand name for its krill meal and krill oil products for aquaculture.[8]

As for research, a 2009 study of Superba krill oil found that it gave a substantially larger reduction of fat in the heart and the liver than omega-3 from fish oil.[9] A clinical study in children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) suggests that Superba krill oil offered significant improvements in both clinical scores and in identified EEG patterns as compared to typical ADHD EEG patterns.[10] In one study, krill-fed salmon acquired 11% greater body weight than that of the fish in the control group.[11]

In 2011, krill oil was classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as a human food ingredient.[12] In one study, krill-fed salmon acquired 11% greater body weight than that of the fish in the control group.[11]

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified "ECO-HARVESTING" as sustainable on June 15, 2010,[13] but WWF and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition are objecting this decision, arguing that krill harvesting puts wildlife and humpback whales at risk.[14][15]

Fleet

As of 2024, Aker Biomarine operates a fleet consisting of four vessels,[16] Three factory trawlers, and one support vessel, which transports krill from the trawlers, and crew and supplies to the trawlers, similarly to a platform supply vessel and reefer.

Name Type Year built
Antarctic Endurance Trawler 2019
Saga Sea Trawler 1975/1999

Converted 2005

Antarctic Sea Trawler/factory 1999

Converted 2009

Antarctic Provider Support Vessel 2021

Awards and accomplishments

Aside from Superba receiving GRAS status and achieving MSC certification, the company received the "Investment in the Future Award 2012" from Nutrition Business Journal. Aker BioMarine received the award for "strategically investing more than $550 million to build out the krill supply chain in the Antarctic with a long-term focus on sustainable harvesting".[17]

Memberships and associations

Aker BioMarine works closely with WWF-Norway and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) as well as independent scientists and marine conservationists to ensure that the company contributes to the well-being of the krill fishery and the Antarctic food chain. To that end, Aker BioMarine is a founding member of the Association of Responsible Krill harvesting companies (ARK), which works with CCAMLR to ensure a healthy and sustainable krill population in Antarctica.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Aker BioMarine. "Financial data". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  2. ↑ McVeigh, Karen (2026-03-04). "World's largest krill harvester at centre of row over 'blue tick' sustainability label". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  3. ↑ https://www.paulwatsonfoundation.org/campaigns-projects/
  4. ↑ https://www.paulwatsonfoundation.org/campaigns-projects/
  5. ↑ https://reporterre.net/Un-navire-du-capitaine-Paul-Watson-entre-en-collision-avec-un-chalutier-ciblant-le-krill
  6. ↑ Archived March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Kjell Inge Rokke's Aker Biomarine begins trading on Oslo Stock Exchange | Intrafish". Intrafish | Latest seafood, aquaculture and fisheries news. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  8. ↑ "Qrill™ - Aker BioMarine".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ↑ Batetta, Barbara; Griinari, Mikko; Carta, Gianfranca; et al. (2009). "Endocannabinoids May Mediate the Ability of (n-3) Fatty Acids to Reduce Ectopic Fat and Inflammatory Mediators in Obese Zucker Rats1–3" (PDF). The Journal of Nutrition. 139 (8). Jn.nutrition.org: 1495–1501. doi:10.3945/jn.109.104844. PMID 19549757. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Superba Krill Oil Shows Benefits For ADHD". Nutraceuticals World. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  11. 1 2 "FIS - Worldnews - Benefits of krill in salmon feed verified". Fis.com. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Superba Safe for Foods". Naturalproductsinsider.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Aker Biomarine Antarctic krill". Msc.org. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  14. ↑ https://reporterre.net/Peche-au-krill-des-ONG-deposent-un-recours-contre-la-certification-durable
  15. ↑ https://www.wwf.org.uk/press-release/mismanagement-antarctic-krill-puts-whales-risk
  16. ↑ "Aker BioMarine | Our operations". www.akerbiomarine.com. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  17. ↑ "Investment in the Future Award 2012: Aker BioMarine". Newhope360.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "Licence to krill: the destructive demand for a 'better' fish oil". the Guardian. 2021-09-07. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
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