Energy efficiency: Key to emission reduction in seafood processing

Amid rising energy costs and increasing pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions, now a mandatory requirement in export markets, seafood processing enterprises are facing a dual challenge: optimizing production costs while reducing emissions in line with the green transition roadmap.

In practice, seafood processing plants consume large amounts of energy due to the continuous operation of freezing systems, cold storage, compressors, and processing lines. However, with well-planned investments and structured energy-saving roadmaps, there remains significant potential for emissions reduction.

Nha Trang Seafood Joint Stock Company (NTSF), located in the Thot Not Industrial Park in Can Tho City, is among the enterprises leading the implementation of a range of energy-efficiency solutions.

Established in 2008, the company currently operates a pangasius processing plant with a capacity of 400 tons of raw material per day and a frozen shrimp processing facility with a capacity of 40 tons per day. Its products are exported to multiple markets, including the United States, Europe, Japan, and China.

According to statistics, the company’s main energy sources include electricity, coal, and diesel, with electricity accounting for more than 75% of total energy consumption. On average, the company consumes around 2 million kWh of electricity per month.

However, equipment investments have been made in phases, involving a mix of different types and generations, ranging from new to used machinery. While this approach helped reduce initial capital costs, it has resulted in a lack of system synchronization, making it more difficult to control and optimize energy efficiency.

Mr. Pham Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of NTSF, acknowledged that due to the lack of technical advisory support and limited exposure to advanced models, the company’s energy monitoring and analysis remain constrained. Although consumption data has been recorded, it has not been effectively utilized, meaning the data has yet to be translated into concrete improvement solutions.

These shortcomings were only clearly identified when the company participated in the Viet Nam - Denmark Energy Partnership Programme (DEPP3). In 2025, with support from the program, NTSF conducted a comprehensive energy audit of its consumption system. During this process, domestic and international experts worked closely with the company to review in detail the design, installation, and operation of energy-consuming equipment, thereby developing a complete and accurate picture of its energy use.

“The energy audit results have revealed shortcomings in our procurement, installation, and operation of equipment. Based on this, experts have provided recommendations for improving our machinery systems. NTSF considers this an important foundation for developing a green transition roadmap, aiming for energy efficiency while meeting increasingly stringent environmental standards,” said Mr. Pham Bao Quoc.

Based on these analyses, NTSF’s Board of Directors has decided to repair, upgrade, and replace outdated and energy-inefficient equipment, in order to enhance competitiveness and ensure CO₂ emissions are kept at the lowest possible level.

One of the major investments underway is the replacement of an old piston compressor system (in operation for over 30 years) with a modern Mycom screw compressor system integrated with a variable speed drive (VSD) at the company’s largest pangasius processing facility.

This system is expected to save nearly 854,000 kWh of electricity per year and reduce approximately 563 tons of CO2e annually. The total investment is estimated at USD 266,000-685,000.

The solution is anticipated to improve overall system efficiency, reduce electricity consumption, enhance operational stability, and minimize vibration and noise.

In addition, the company has focused on communication measures to raise employee awareness, adjust operational processes, and implement small improvements that deliver practical energy-saving results.

According to Mr. Ma Khai Hien, Director of the Energy Conservation Research and Development Center (ENERTEAM), the Center, as the consulting unit, has screened and proposed 16 solutions, including 10 that are feasible and have relatively low investment requirements.

If implemented comprehensively, these solutions could help NTSF save more than 1.5 million kWh of electricity and over 300 tons of coal annually, while reducing more than 2,600 tons of CO2e emissions.

In the long term, the company also aims to invest in rooftop solar power systems to harness renewable energy sources.

In the context of Viet Nam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the seafood processing industry, one of the country’s key export sectors, cannot be left out of the green transition. There remains substantial potential for energy savings across the industry. However, unlocking this potential will require time, financial resources, and, importantly, continued support from government policies and international partners.