What Aquastructures does

Aquastructures AS is a Norwegian specialized engineering and certification firm serving the aquaculture industry, founded in 2002 in Trondheim by three PhD graduates from NTNU. The company delivers engineering analysis (mooring analysis, global hydrodynamic analysis, FEM-based local analysis, site surveys, closed-structure analysis, stability calculations) and accredited certification services (NYTEK23 site certificates, product certification per NS 9415 and NS 9416, component proof of design, life extension certificates, escape technical reports, and service-producer certification) to fish farmers, equipment manufacturers, and aquaculture service producers. Its proprietary software stack centers on AquaSim, a hydrodynamic and structural simulation engine for flexible marine structures originally derived from NTNU doctoral research, complemented by AquaStab (stability calculations) and AquaRapport, a 2025-launched digital reporting tool that handles over 75% of Norwegian NYTEK23 site certificate submissions to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries.

The business operates as a sales-led B22B professional services firm, billing engineering projects per engagement and certification work through site certificate fees, annual fees, and periodic inspection charges. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is accredited by Norwegian Accreditation (Norsk Akkreditering) as an Inspection Body Type A (INSP 004) and for product certification (PROD 010), providing a structural moat since NYTEK23 mandates accredited third-party certification. Operations are anchored in Trondheim with five additional Norwegian offices (Bergen, Oslo, Rørvik, Bodø, Alta) and limited international reach into Iceland and Scotland, with a planned presence in Chile via AquaSur 2026. The customer base includes Norway's three largest salmon farmers (MOWI, Grieg Seafood, NRS) and emerging adjacent clients in offshore renewable energy (e.g., Ocean Sun), closed-containment aquaculture (Marine Donut, The Egg), and industrial safety (Kongshavn Industrier).

Aquastructures is an independent, privately held company with no disclosed external funding. The current leadership team is led by CEO Torbjørn Alstad, appointed in 2025 from Kongsberg Maritime AS to oversee planned growth, with co-founder Are Berstad (Doctor of Engineering) leading the software division and Marit Opheim as COO. The company has 25+ engineers and inspectors and is in an active scaling phase marked by broad hiring, geographic expansion, and platform-style extension of AquaRapport to other Norwegian certification bodies.

Name

Aquastructures

Legal name

Aquastructures AS

Website

https://aquastructures.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aquastructures AS is a Trondheim-based Norwegian engineering and accredited certification firm for the aquaculture industry, delivering mooring analysis, hydrodynamic simulation via its proprietary AquaSim software, and NYTEK23/NS 9415/9416 certification to fish farmers, equipment manufacturers, and service producers in Norway and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Engineering and Certification Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Aquaculture (112519)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting) (AFAEAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood & Aquaculture Certification Services (MSC/ASC/BAP) (AFALAMAL), Aquaculture & Fisheries Operations (EDAOAOAK)

Keywords

• Aquaculture engineering services
• Marine mooring analysis
• Fish farm certification
• NYTEK23 compliance
• Hydrodynamic structural analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Trondheim

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Fee-based engineering and analysis services including mooring analysis, global analysis, local analysis, site surveys, closed structure analysis, stability calculations, and operations analysis. Projects are billed per engagement with technical experts delivering site-specific engineering solutions for aquaculture facilities.
2. Certification Services: Accredited certification services for Norwegian aquaculture industry including site certificates (5-year validity), product certification per NS 9415/NS 9416, component proof of design, life extension certificates, escape technical reports, and voluntary service producer certification. Revenue generated through certification fees, annual fees, and periodic inspection fees.
3. Software Licensing and Tools: Access to proprietary software tools AquaSim and AquaStab as part of engineering service delivery. AquaRapport offered as a standalone tool to other certification bodies for NYTEK23 reporting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Aquastructures AS provides engineering analysis (mooring, global, local, site survey, closed structures, stability, safety net) and accredited certification services (site certificates, product certification per NS 9415/9416, life extension, service producer certification) for the Norwegian aquaculture industry. The firm is Norway's leading certification body for aquaculture under NYTEK23 and NS 9415:2021, and supports its engineering work with proprietary software tools (AquaSim, AquaStab) and the digital reporting platform AquaRapport.

Product overview

Aquastructures operates a platform-plus-modules product architecture anchored by two proprietary software tools — AquaSim (hydrodynamic and structural simulation engine) and AquaStab (stability calculation tool) — supplemented by the SaaS reporting tool AquaRapport. AquaSim and AquaStab form the computational core for the company's engineering services (mooring analysis, global analysis, local/FEM analysis, site survey, closed structures analysis, safety net analysis, and stability calculations), which are offered as distinct service modules. The certification services module includes System Certificate (Anleggssertifikat), Component Proof of Design (Levetidsforlengelse), Product Certification NS 9415, Product Certification NS 9416, Escape Technical Report, and Service Producer Certification. The overall portfolio is unified by a shared engineering methodology and proprietary software that supports both internal delivery and customer-facing analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AquaSim Proprietary simulation software for analyzing hydrodynamic forces (waves, currents, wind) in flexible marine structures including aquaculture net pens, floating collars, and mooring systems. Performs global analysis, mooring analysis, local analysis, feces simulation with seabed contact, RAO and drift coefficients, irregular wind simulation, and displaced spring modeling.
• AquaStab
• AquaRapport Digital reporting tool for submitting NYTEK23 facility certificates to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries. The only commercially available tool for this purpose, available to all certification bodies, with API integration to Fiskeridirektoratet and support for import/export of specific data for integration with customer systems.
• Mooring Analysis
• Site Survey Site investigation providing the basis for design and engineering of aquaculture facilities. Documents physical environmental conditions, bottom type, and bathymetry. Wave, wind, and current conditions are determined using SWAN numerical modeling and NS standards.
• Global Analysis Engineering service controlling the strength of a structure against environmental loads (wind, waves, current). All components and interactions with secondary parts are analyzed. Uses AquaSim for floating collars, net pens, and new developments.
• Local Analysis (FEM) FEM-based local stress analysis providing detailed view of stresses around structural connections, hubs, and hinges. Analyzes brackets and mooring attachments on barges and fish farms for both plastic and steel components.
• Closed Structures Analysis Engineering analysis for closed fish cage systems (flexible lice skirts, rigid plastic, concrete, and fiberglass constructions) that force water to flow around and underneath rather than through. Notable projects include Aquatraz and FishGLOBE.
• Stability Calculations Stability calculations for floating barges and vessels using AquaStab. Determines the ability of a vessel to right itself under heeling moments such as waves or uneven loading. Compliant with NS 9415 requirements for both intact and damaged conditions.
• Safety Net Analysis Analysis of safety nets used in oil and gas and other industries, using AquaSim to calculate retardation properties and strength for safe operation of installations. Protects against falling objects from overhead structures or natural ice shedding.
• System Certificate (Anleggssertifikat) Site/system certificate for aquaculture facilities under NYTEK23, ensuring escape-proof interaction between components using elements capable of withstanding environmental loads at the site. Valid for 5 years and includes annual fees covering Norwegian Accreditation charges.
• Component Proof of Design (Life Extension / Levetidsforlengelse) Proof of design documentation for floating collars and barges manufactured before October 1, 2004 without product certificates. Also issued when dimensional useful life has expired. Provides 2-5 years extended service life for equipment such as barges, floats, and moorings.
• Product Certification NS 9415 Product certification service for nets, floating collars, barges, and structural parts for anchoring per NYTEK23 and NS 9415. Aquastructures reviews production procedures and QA systems to ensure safe and reliable products, and also certifies extra equipment (e.g., cameras, winches) mounted on floats or inside enclosures.
• Product Certification NS 9416 Product certification service for tanks and hoses at land-based aquaculture facilities per NS 9416 and the Regulation on Technical Standards for Land-Based Aquaculture. The product certificate is issued to the manufacturer, representative, or supplier for a unique product.
• Escape Technical Report (Rømmingsteknisk rapport) Condition analysis and escape technical report for land-based facilities established before January 1, 2018. Includes condition assessment, drainage/delivery system plans, risk assessment, geotechnical assessment, and maintenance plan per NYTEK23.
• Service Producer Certification Voluntary certification of organizations providing services at aquaculture facilities per NYTEK23 and NS 9415:2021, including mooring system inspection/replacement, net repair, equipment installation, net washing, delousing, and ROV inspection. Certificate validity is 6 years with periodic controls at least every two years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Life extension of 2-5 years for equipment (barges, floats, moorings, anchoring components)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Global marine technology and offshore solutions provider. Comparable as a Norwegian marine-technology incumbent where Aquastructures' new CEO was previously employed, and as a potential partner or competitor in marine engineering software and services.
• SGS: Global testing, inspection, and certification company serving multiple industries including agriculture and aquaculture. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could expand aquaculture-specific certification offerings.
• TÜV SÜD: Global certification and testing organization with marine and industrial services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in third-party inspection and certification that competes for accreditation-driven work.
• Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with marine classification and aquaculture services. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing third-party assurance in the marine sector.
• Lloyd's Register: Global marine classification society providing certification, inspection, and engineering services. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering structural and safety certification for marine assets including aquaculture-adjacent floating structures.
• DNV: Global certification, inspection, and accreditation giant with marine and aquaculture assurance offerings. Comparable as a broad incumbent in marine certification that could expand into Norwegian aquaculture-specific accreditation services.

Others

• SINTEF Ocean: Norwegian applied research institute with deep expertise in marine technology and aquaculture. Comparable as an ecosystem participant whose research underpins standards and whose former PhD students have founded aquaculture technology firms like Aquastructures.
• Mowi ASA: World's largest Atlantic salmon farmer and a named customer of Aquastructures. Comparable as a key aquaculture industry participant whose continued growth and certification compliance drives demand for Aquastructures' services.

Direct peers

• Akva Group: Norwegian supplier of aquaculture equipment and technology including nets, cages, and feeding systems. Comparable as a Norwegian aquaculture industry participant requiring NS 9415 product certification and offering adjacent services to fish farmers.
• Åkerblå: Norwegian aquaculture services firm providing fish health, environmental monitoring, and inspection services to Norwegian salmon farmers. Directly comparable as a competing certification/inspection body serving the same Norwegian aquaculture operators under NYTEK23 and NS 9415.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Aquastructures-100060685733737
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquastructures-as

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquastructures