Funding for feed barges serving salmon and trout pens, covering the hull, silos, blowers, control room and the feed system aboard.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Yes. A feed barge is funded as a commercial marine asset, and it is one of the stronger propositions in aquaculture because the barge is a substantial steel structure with a long life rather than a consumable. Used barges do change hands between operators and can be funded. What buyers should plan for is that a barge is really two assets bolted together: a hull with the usual marine title position and no registration document, and a feed, camera and control system with a much shorter technology life. Funders often want both described separately.
Used kit: Yes — used barges trade between operators and fund where the hull survey, silo condition and feed system age are documented.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
Feed barges go to commercial marine funders rather than to general equipment lenders, and the mixed nature of the asset shapes the deal. The hull is durable, identifiable and has a genuine if small resale market among other operators, which gives the funder something real. The feed system, cameras, sensors and control software date much faster and are valued accordingly, so structuring them on separate lines sometimes produces a better result. The funder will assess biomass, consents, the harvest cycle and the processor relationships, and will want the mooring and anchoring position clarified, since the grid holding the barge on station is tied to the seabed lease and is not part of the movable asset.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| AKVA group feed barge | Steel feed barge with silos |
| Gael Force SeaFeed barge | Marine feed barge and control room |
| ScaleAQ feed barge | Feed storage and distribution barge |
| Akvasmart CCS feed system | Central feed blowing and dosing system |
| AKVA group feed silos and blowers | Silos, blowers and feed pipework |
| ScaleAQ camera and sensor system | Pen cameras and feed response sensors |
| AKVA group Fishtalk feed software | Feed control and reporting software |
| Cummins C150 D5 generator set | Barge generator and fuel system |
| FG Wilson standby generator set | Backup power for feed barge |
| Gael Force Marine barge moorings | Barge mooring chain and anchors |
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
Salmon and trout farm operators on sea sites too far from shore to feed by hand or by shore-based blower, and companies replacing an ageing barge whose feed capacity no longer matches the biomass on site. The trigger is usually a consent increase, a new site coming into production, or a barge reaching the point where silo capacity forces resupply visits more often than the logistics can support.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
It can be, but splitting them often works better. The hull lasts decades while blowers, cameras and control software move on a much shorter cycle, so separate lines let each be funded over a sensible period and make future upgrades easier to arrange. It also avoids paying for a control system long after it has been superseded.
No. Like any vessel it is evidenced through registration entries and bills of sale rather than anything resembling a V5, so ownership has to be traced properly and any existing marine mortgage established and cleared before completion. Overseas purchases add flag and deletion certificate steps, so allow time for them.
Generally not as part of the barge. Anchors, chain and the mooring grid relate to the seabed lease and effectively belong to the site rather than the vessel. Treat them as a site cost alongside the consent rather than as movable equipment. The supplier will usually quote the mooring package as a separate figure in any case.
Usually yes, particularly if it was funded separately from the hull. Camera and control technology moves quickly and operators expect to refresh it well before the barge itself needs replacing, so plan the structure with that cycle in mind. Suppliers often offer staged upgrades, which fit a separate agreement neatly.
Often, yes. Steel barges last a long time and used units move between operators as sites change scale. The funder will want a hull survey, the silo and blower condition assessed and the age of the control system understood before committing. Silo capacity measured against your planned biomass is the first thing to check.
Get a quoteor call 07581 364281
See everything we fund in boat and marine finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.