What Rostein does

Rostein AS is a privately held Norwegian wellboat (brønnbåt) shipping company headquartered in Årøy, Norway, founded in 1996. The company operates a fleet of approximately 20 specialised vessels ranging from 900 m³ to 4,500 m³ in well capacity, serving the Norwegian salmon and trout farming industry. Its service offering covers the full aquaculture logistics chain: transport of smolt (young fish) between hatcheries and sea sites, transport of slaughter fish to processing facilities, on-board sorting and counting, and thermal sea lice treatment. Documented named customers include SalMar and a consortium of Helgelandskysten aquaculture operators (Lovundlaks Sjø, Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett, Seløy Sjøfarm, Kobbvåglaks), with services delivered under long-term contracts.

The fleet is built primarily by Larsnes Mek Verksted AS and Aas Mek. Verksted AS, and technology differentiation centres on fish welfare and environmental performance. Onboard systems include RSW (Refrigerated Seawater) cooling, CO2 aeration with filtration and UV treatment, the proprietary BlueMist® wash/disinfection system, 100% sea lice filtration, closed-transport capability with zero-emission operation, battery-hybrid propulsion, and TIER III compliant machinery. Rostein was the first wellboat operator globally to deploy Wavefoil bow foils (~8m wingspan) on its vessels (Ro Spirit), reducing accelerations, improving fish survival, and cutting fuel consumption. A 12-month study reports a 99.76% median survival rate within 0-2 days after thermal sea lice treatment. Ro Vision was awarded "Ship of the Year 2020" by the Norwegian Maritime Industry.

Revenue is generated through long-term service contracts (described as subscription/recurring) with fish farming companies; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company employs 300+ staff, predominantly seafarers, and go-to-market is direct B2B service provision, with vessels operating at customer farm sites along the Norwegian coast. Capital intensity is high, evidenced by continuous fleet renewal: the March 2025 acquisition of the vessel Orca Yka (renamed Ro Sunrise, 2,800 m³) from Naviera Orca Chile and a 3,700 m³ battery-hybrid newbuild contracted in October 2024 for 2026 delivery, expected to add 15-16 new jobs. Rostein is a member of GATH – Global Aquaculture Tech Hub and operates the "Rostein Zero" environmental program.

Name

Rostein

Legal name

Rostein AS

Website

https://rostein.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rostein AS is a privately held Norwegian wellboat shipping company operating a fleet of about 20 specialised vessels that transport smolt and slaughter fish, sort and count salmon and trout, and provide sea lice treatment for Norwegian salmon and trout farming companies under long-term service contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Wellboat Shipping Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture & Fish-Farm Service Vessels (Feed, Wellboats, Harvest Support) (IMAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK)

Keywords

• Wellboat shipping
• Smolt transport
• Salmon aquaculture logistics
• Live fish transport
• Sea lice treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Årøy

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Wellboat Charter Services: Service contracts with aquaculture companies for transport of smolt (young fish) and slaughter fish, including sorting and sea lice treatment services. Revenue generated through long-term service agreements with fish farming companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rostein AS operates a fleet of approximately 20 specialized wellboats providing transport of smolt (young salmon) and slaughter fish, sorting and counting of salmon and trout, and specialized sea lice thermal treatment services to Norwegian aquaculture companies. Services are delivered directly at fish farm sites along the Norwegian coast under contracted agreements.

Product overview

Rostein AS is a Norwegian wellboat (brønnbåt) shipping company operating a fleet of approximately 20 vessels. The company offers three core services: transport of smolt (young salmon) and slaughter fish, and sorting/counting of salmon and trout. The fleet consists of vessels ranging from 900 m³ to 4,500 m³ well capacity, built primarily by Larsnes Mek Verksted AS and Aas Mek. Verksted AS. The company also offers specialized services including sea lice thermal treatment and has invested in green technology such as Wavefoil bow foils and battery-hybrid propulsion systems under the Rostein Zero environmental program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rostein Zero: Environmental program focused on reducing emissions and energy optimization, including adoption of Wavefoil bow foil technology and battery-hybrid vessels.

Products and services

• Transport of smolt (Transporttjenester for smolt)

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.76% median survival rate within 0-2 days after thermal sea lice treatment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Larsnes Mek Verksted AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2023Primary shipyard partner building wellboats for Rostein. Has delivered 11+ vessels including Ro Spirit (11th delivery), Ro Senja (10th delivery), and other modern battery-hybrid vessels. Newbuild contracted for 2026 delivery (3,700 m3 battery-hybrid). Build #70 for Ro Senja, #71 for Ro Spirit, newbuild contracted with Skipskompetanse design.
• Skipskompetanse AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2023Ship design partner based in Måløy providing vessel designs including SK-6000 DEH IV for Ro Senja. Developed custom design for Rostein's new battery-hybrid wellboat. Design collaboration for newbuild contracted in 2024.
• WavefoilcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing bow foils (baugfoiler) for Rostein vessels. World's first wellboat equipped with Wavefoil technology (Ro Spirit/Ro Sailor with nearly 8 meter wingspan). Reduces accelerations, improves fish welfare, and provides fuel savings. Key partner in Rostein Zero environmental program.
• SalMarcoreOthersMajor Norwegian salmon farming company that is the customer for Ro Senja newbuild. Vessels designed and equipped according to SalMar's requirements for delivering best possible wellboat services.
• Lovundlaks Sjø, Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett, Seløy Sjøfarm, KobbvåglakscoreOthersConsortium of aquaculture companies on Helgelandskysten that awarded Rostein a new battery-hybrid wellboat contract, providing the contract security needed for the investment. This partnership led to newbuild contracted with Larsnes Mek Verksted for 2026.
• GATH – Global Aquaculture Tech HubminorOthersIndustry association membership. Rostein is a member of this global aquaculture technology hub, positioning the company within the world-leading aquaculture cluster in northwest Norway.
• Rofisk AScoreOthersRostein AS is a subsidiary of Rofisk AS, which also encompasses Rofiskgruppen AS. Aktsomhetsvurderinger (due diligence assessments) are published for Rofisk AS and its subsidiaries.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Aas Mek Verksted AS: Norwegian shipyard that has built multiple Rostein wellboats (Ro Fjell, Ro Chief, Rohav, Robris, Rostein, Langsund). Relevant as a key supplier/ecosystem participant in the wellboat value chain rather than a direct operating competitor.
• Larsnes Mek Verksted AS: Norwegian shipyard and Rostein's primary newbuild partner (Ro Vision, Ro North, Ro Server, Ro West, Ro Fortune, Ro Sailor, Ro Spirit, Ro Senja, Ro Sunrise). Acts as a core supplier in the wellboat ecosystem rather than a competing operator.

Direct peers

• Eidsvaag AS: Family-owned Norwegian wellboat operator providing live fish transport and related services to salmon farms in Norway. Directly comparable in fleet type, customer base (Norwegian salmon farmers) and service offering (transport of smolt and slaughter fish).
• Frøy Gruppen AS: Norwegian aquaculture service company operating wellboats and service vessels for the salmon farming industry. Directly comparable in business model — contracted live-fish transport, smolt and harvest logistics, and fish welfare services — and competes with Rostein for the same Norwegian fish-farm customers.
• Boreal Maritime AS: Norwegian operator of aquaculture service vessels including wellboats, supporting Norwegian salmon farming with transport and operational services. Comparable operating model and customer base to Rostein.
• Sølvtrans ASA: Norway's largest wellboat operator and Rostein's closest competitor. Provides live fish transport, smolt transport, and treatment services to the same Norwegian salmon farming customers, with an overlapping fleet of wellboats operating along the Norwegian coast.

Regional players

• Naviera Orca Chile: Chilean aquaculture vessel operator from which Rostein acquired the wellboat Orca Yka (renamed Ro Sunrise). Operates in the same wellboat category (live salmon transport) but in the Chilean salmon farming geography rather than Norway, making it a comparable service provider in a different region.

Broad incumbents

• Havyard Group ASA: Norwegian designer and builder of specialized vessels including aquaculture service vessels and wellboats. Comparable because it operates in the same wellboat technology stack (vessel design for fish transport and treatment) and supplies the Norwegian salmon aquaculture sector, but competes as a shipbuilder rather than a fleet operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RosteinAS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rostein-as-rofisk-as-rofiskgruppen-as

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Rostein