NIWA Kingfish RAS

CB Civil, in collaboration with the Northland Regional Council (NRC) and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA), has constructed a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Kingfish Farm.

This facility marks the inaugural commercial scale, land-based fishery in New Zealand. Similar systems are anticipated to overtake traditional offshore marine based farming in the future.

Functionally akin to water treatment plants, the facility entails substantial concrete infrastructure, comprising eight 11-meter diameter, 4.0-meter high concrete tanks, a 16-meter by 8-meter RAS tank, a combination of precast and in-situ concrete elements, mechanical and electrical installations, and commissioning operations.

Key Project Statistics:

• Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Construction:Location: NIWA’s Northland Aquaculture Centre in Ruakākā.
• Partnership: Joint venture with Northland Regional Council.
• Purpose: Demonstrating the viability of commercial-scale production of high-value seafood on land.
• Innovation: First of its kind in New Zealand.
• Capacity: Designed to produce over 600 tonnes (quarter of a million) of kingfish annually.
• Tank Quantity: Eight 350,000-litre tanks.
• Practical Completion: Completed on programme 2023
• Total Project Cost: Range of $10-20 million NZD
• Construction Details: Involves the construction of large diameter pipelines in HDPE, both above and below ground.
• Complexity: Represents a large-scale project with multiple work faces, demonstrating CB Civil's capability to self perform and manage structural, mechanical, and electrically complex projects.
• Specialist Subcontractors: Management of specialist electrical and controls subcontractors to CB Civil systems.
• Commissioning Works: Includes dry, wet, and process commissioning, with close coordination with NIWA for bringing works online.

Environmental Benefits of RAS:

• Sustainability: Addresses the need for a more sustainable aquaculture industry.
• Advantages: Offers total control over stock, smaller environmental footprint, and clean discharge.
• Economic Impact: Kingfish already served at over 65 top-class restaurants nationwide.

Economic, Environmental, and Social Benefits:

• Importance: Land-based aquaculture can have significant economic, environmental, and social benefits for New Zealand.
• Technology: RAS offers advantages such as higher feed conversion rates and smaller environmental footprint.
• Construction Progress: Expected completion and operational status in early 2023.
• Production Capacity: Sustainably producing about 600 tonnes of kingfish annually.

Value Engineering

CB collaborated closely with ALTA Consulting to secure early procurement of materials, effectively mitigating program risks and budget escalations while averting delays caused by COVID-19. This collaboration saved our client $600k and proved highly successful in maintaining project timelines despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, including global supply chain disruptions and unprecedented cost increases, rendering the endeavor both challenging and rewarding.