About us

please read more about our history here

This is Vannfast AS

Vannfast AS means “Waterproof” in Norwegian and was established in 2020 as a senior advisory and consulting company, mainly aimed at assisting existing and greenfield technology suppliers to the aquaculture industry. But also to offer services within this field to other organizations, authorities and insurance companies. Our key competence lies within strategy work, market analysis, marketing and sales, general management, export business, product development and project management. We are also an experienced international public speaker within our expertise at various conferences, companies, organizations, industry clusters and authorities. 

Vannfast AS is based near Stavanger, Norway, and is owned and operated by Trond Severinsen. He started his lifelong career within aquaculture technology as a “Delivery Boy” at Sea Farm Trading AS in Bergen, Norway, during spring of 1984. This was one of Norway’s first supplier of equipment to both processing plants, sea- and land based fishfarms. It was owned by Sea Farm AS (later Stolt Sea Farm, Marine Harvest etc.).

This became the start of a fantastic journey and versatile career, that also brought him to British Columbia, Canada, in 1987 to establish Sea Farm Trading Inc. During his 16 years in Canada he later started his own equipment supply company, that in turn became part of the feed systems specialist Akva AS of Bryne, Norway. In the 25 years that followed, of which 17 years as a member of the Executive Management, he was involved in building what we today know as AKVA group. The world’s largest and leading aquaculture technology and services company.

But during the summer of 2019, after 35 years in this business, time had come to do something new and exiting. This is when his lifelong dream of sailing around the world became reality. But halfway during spring of 2020, as for so many people’s plans worldwide, the Corona crisis put a stop to the journey and Vannfast AS was established back home in Norway!

With the ocean as passion, profession and hobby

“20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

With a family full of mariners and fishermen, and an upbringing on the west coast of Norway with boats, fishing, scuba diving and outdoor activities, no wonder Mr. Severinsen ended up in a profession within aquaculture. With the ocean and marine life as passion, he soon became a captain aboard his own sailboat, and has since crossed both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. His lifelong dream of sailing around the world was made a reality in 2019, after 25 great years with AKVA group, as he cast off the bowlines and sailed away from Norway with family and friends onboard.  But, as for so many of us, the Corona crisis also turned this plan upside down during spring of 2020 and the journey had to be stopped for now.

It is this lifelong passion for the ocean, marine life and the environment that is the main driving force behind Vannfast AS!

Aquaculture is one of the most efficient and sustainable ways of producing healthy and tasty food, and we have good reasons to be proud of our contribution to the further development of this great industry!

Please contact us for waterproof senior advisory and consulting services within aquaculture technology!