New salmon export service could put Faroe Islands on the air cargo map

Credit FarCargo.

Fresh salmon exports could put the Faroe Islands on the international air freight map after the launch of a dedicated service from the North Atlantic archipelago to the US and other markets.

Salmon farming specialist and exporter Bakkafrost has set up its own air cargo subsidiary, FarCargo, which has closed a deal to purchase a Boeing 757-200F, which has a flight range of 7,000km and a payload of some 35 tonnes.

The maiden trip is planned for two to three months’ time between Vágar, on the islands, and New York, and FarCargo will initially operate under the AOC of Swedish airline group West Atlantic, which has a fleet of more than 50 aircraft.

Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen said: “This is a new chapter in Faroe trade history. The aim is to deliver fresh high-quality salmon to the US, Israel and other remote markets just a day after the fish swims in Faroese fjords. We believe this will significantly strengthen our competitiveness.”

Customers in those markets demand really fresh products, particularly for the sushi market and Bakkafrost has had long-term ambitions to make progress in the US. Along with its US processing plant in New Jersey, the new service will allow the group the opportunity to provide customers with the best service, said Mr Jacobsen.

“Compared with current routes through various airfields in Europe, the new service will ensure prolonged shelf-life, an unbroken cooling chain and reduction in GHG emissions,” he added.

And FarCargo will offer Faroese and international businesses the opportunity to buy cargo space on board its B757F. Bakkafrost has not disclosed any information about the number of weekly frequencies FarCargo plans for the aircraft, nor projected volumes of fresh salmon to be exported.