Global shipping giant Stolt Nielsen's decision to separately list its land-based aquaculture business Stolt Sea Farm last year was made after seeing the market valuation of land-based salmon farmer Atlantic Sapphire.

The Oslo Stock Exchange-listed company announced plans to separate its turbot and sole production in January 2020 and list it separately after 30 years as a subsidiary.

“Atlantic Sapphire received a higher market valuation than Stolt Nielsen," CEO Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen told IntraFish sister publication Dagens Naeringsliv.

"Jesus, we've been doing land-based farming for 30 years and recycling technology for 20 years, and we were generating a significant positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization).