News

The Namibian authorities have made no efforts to interfere with current or former employees of companies affiliated with Samherji. Neither by its own initiative nor through co-operation with other countries. News coverage that the Namibian authorities want to talk to some of Samherji's current and former employees is therefore very misleading.

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) reported yesterday that Namibian law enforcement authorities had been trying for some time to gather information on the whereabouts of two named employees of companies affiliated with Samherji to get them extradited to Namibia. The story is based on an affidavit by a Namibian police officer before a local court. In addition, several current and former employees were named in the report.

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV) confused the terms profit and turnover in recent news coverage about the seizure of assets of companies affiliated with Samherji in Namibia. The seizure of the most valuable asset, the trawler Heinaste, has now been lifted and the trawler has been sold to the Namibian fishing company Tunacor Fisheries.

In recent months, efforts have been made to complete closure of operations by Samherji-affiliated companies in Namibia. This has been done in close consultation with the Namibian authorities. Part of the work involved the seizure of the trawler Heinaste. The seizure has now been lifted after The Prosecutor-General of Namibia signed a letter to that effect yesterday, which meant the sale of the ship could be finalized. Other insignificant assets in Namibia are still under seizure, but issues related to that will be resolved in the coming months in close consultation with the authorities.

Samherji has invested in a pelagic vessel and is in the process of converting the vessel for groundfish fishing, where it will be possible to pump fish on board and store it alive in specially equipped tanks. This arrangement offers much more flexibility in the handling of the catch and better control of workload on board and in processing on land.

Samherji, a leader in the European seafood industry, has entered into an agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Boston-based Aquanor Marketing, Inc., a premier importer, distributor and marketer of the finest quality fresh seafood.

Samherji Holding ehf., a company affiliated with Samherji hf., today increased its share in Eimskipafélag Íslands hf. (Eimskip) by 0.29% and currently owns 30.28% of the company's share capital after the transaction. Samherji Holding now intends to make an offer to other shareholders in Eimskip for their shares as required by law.

Norðurál, a subsidiary of Century Aluminum, and Samherji Fish Farming, the aquaculture operation of the Samherji group, have signed a letter of intent in connection with the purchase of Norðurál's assets in Helguvík in the Reykjanes Peninsula. Samherji Fish Farming is currently exploring the possibility of salmon farming on the site.

After Norwegian law firm Wikborg Rein finalized its investigation, into the activities of companies affiliated with Samherji in Namibia on July 28th and presented its findings to Samherji's board, the company has in various ways corrected and refuted allegations that have been made against it.

Production began this morning in Samherji's new high-tech production plant in Dalvík. The plant is one of the most advanced production plants in the world for groundfish and is the only one of its kind due to its technology and equipment.

Samherji today published a mini-documentary about the beginning of the so-called Central Bank case. The documentary, which Samherji produced, contains new and previously unpublished information about the case.

Companies affiliated with Samherji paid the equivalent of ISK 6.5 billion in total to the Namibian treasury while they were in operation. Firstly, these are total tax payments and secondly, special levies for the utilization of catch quotas. In addition, companies affiliated with Samherji paid a total of ISK 12 billion for the quotas, and a significant part of that amount was paid state-owned companies and institutions.