Project archetype · Shrimp RAS
500-Ton Annual Shrimp RAS Project
A neutral reference architecture for a 500 t/year indoor whiteleg shrimp recirculating farm — system stack, project stages, main cost drivers, bankability questions and financing path. No brand names, no unverified yield claims, no fixed profitability promises.
Project assumptions
Species
Litopenaeus vannamei (Whiteleg shrimp)
Production target
500 t/year live weight, harvested year-round
System
Indoor Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), nursery + grow-out modules
Stocking density
300–500 shrimp/m² (grow-out); 1,500–3,000/m² (nursery)
Cycles
3–4 grow-out cycles per year, staggered across raceways
Water reuse
≥ 95% recirculation; < 5–10% daily makeup
Water source
Reconstituted saline water (dry-salt or brine + freshwater)
Location profile
Inland or peri-urban, near feed supply and market
System stack
Tanks & raceways
- • Nursery tanks: 4–8 modular round tanks, 50–150 m³ each, HDPE or fiberglass
- • Grow-out raceways: 8–16 concrete or HDPE-lined raceways, 300–600 m³ each
- • Central drain with settling cone; sloped floor for solids collection
- • Total culture volume: ~5,000–7,000 m³ depending on density and cycle plan
Mechanical filtration
- • Drum filters (60–90 µm) sized for 100–150% of total system flow
- • Foam fractionators / protein skimmers for dissolved organics
- • Solids thickener + sludge dewatering (screw press or geobag)
Biological filtration
- • Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) sized for peak TAN load
- • Design point: 500–800 g TAN removed per m³ media per day
- • Denitrification stage (optional) for very low-exchange operation
Oxygenation & CO₂ control
- • PSA oxygen generators (dual redundancy) with LOX backup tank
- • Low-head oxygenators (LHO) or oxygen cones per raceway
- • Forced-ventilation degassers or cascade columns for CO₂ stripping
Water treatment & biosecurity
- • UV or ozone disinfection on makeup water and inter-module transfers
- • Segregated nursery / grow-out water loops; no cross-contamination
- • Foot baths, dedicated PPE zones, all-in/all-out per module
- • SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) post-larvae only; quarantine protocol
Feed & feeding
- • Automated belt or acoustic-guided feeders per raceway
- • Feed silos with pneumatic distribution
- • FCR target: 1.3–1.6 depending on genetics and management
Monitoring & control
- • Continuous DO, temperature, pH, salinity, ORP, TAN, NO₂ probes
- • SCADA / PLC control with alarms and mobile alerts
- • Backup sensors and manual sampling protocol
Energy & utilities
- • Installed electrical load: ~1.2–2.0 MW for a 500 t/yr indoor RAS
- • Specific energy: 4–7 kWh per kg shrimp produced (site-dependent)
- • Standby generator sized for full life-support load
- • Heat recovery / heat pumps for temperature control (26–30 °C)
Project stages
- 1. FeasibilitySite, water source, energy, market, permits, indicative CAPEX/OPEX and financing readiness. 4–8 weeks.
- 2. Concept & basic designMass balance, hydraulic design, tank layout, equipment list, budget class 3. 6–10 weeks.
- 3. RFQ & supplier selectionNeutral RFQ to project-matched vendors for RAS, oxygen, filtration, controls, feed, civil. 8–12 weeks.
- 4. Detailed engineeringP&IDs, single-line diagrams, structural, HVAC, control philosophy. 10–16 weeks (parallel with procurement).
- 5. Construction & installationCivil works, tanks, piping, equipment installation, electrical, controls. 8–14 months.
- 6. Commissioning & biological start-upWater fill, biofilter maturation, first PL stocking, staged ramp-up. 3–6 months.
- 7. Steady-state operationFull production reached over 12–18 months post-commissioning as cycles stabilize.
Main CAPEX drivers
Indicative share of total installed cost. Actual split depends on region, redundancy, automation and civil scope.
| Civil works & building envelope | 20–30% |
| RAS equipment (filtration, biofilters, tanks, piping) | 25–35% |
| Oxygen generation & life support | 8–12% |
| Electrical, controls & SCADA | 8–12% |
| HVAC, heating & insulation | 6–10% |
| Engineering, permits & project management | 6–10% |
| Contingency (recommended) | 10–15% |
Indicative class-4 ranges only. Get a class-3 budget via a neutral RFQ before committing to financing.
Bankability questions
- Is the water source characterized (full analysis) and is makeup water reliably available?
- Is grid electricity stable, and is the tariff and standby fuel cost modeled for 10 years?
- Is there a signed or LOI-stage offtake agreement with a processor, wholesaler or retailer?
- Is SPF post-larvae supply secured with at least two qualified hatcheries?
- Is a qualified operator identified — with prior RAS or intensive shrimp experience?
- Are permits (environmental, water discharge, construction, biosecurity) achievable in the target timeline?
- Is CAPEX supported by class-3 estimates from at least two independent sources?
- Is OPEX modeled at pessimistic, base and optimistic scenarios, including FCR, mortality and energy?
- Is a technical due-diligence report available for the RAS technology provider?
- Is the financing structure (equity, senior debt, ECA, leasing) matched to project cash-flow ramp-up?
Key project risks
- Biological ramp-up is slower than plan (first 12–18 months usually under-produce).
- Energy price volatility directly impacts profitability — hedge or model conservatively.
- Single points of failure in oxygen or power cause catastrophic losses without redundancy.
- PL quality variability materially affects survival and growth — dual-source and screen.
- Discharge and biosecurity regulation can change; design for tomorrow's rules, not today's.
Common questions
Turn this archetype into a real RFQ
FishMatch Group prepares a neutral, confidential brief and matches you with 1–3 project-matched international RAS providers. Buyers never pay.