Founded in 1986, the Killybegs-based company employs more than 90 people and supplies marine handling and aquaculture equipment to customers across Europe and North America. SeaQuest specialises in designing and manufacturing fish pumping systems, hydraulic equipment, cranes and other marine handling technology.
BIM announced the award at its Blue Ambition conference, which brought together industry representatives, researchers and policymakers to examine opportunities for Ireland's blue bioeconomy.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, congratulated SeaQuest on its achievement.
"The success of SeaQuest demonstrates how innovation, engineering expertise and a strong connection to the seafood and marine industries is creating high-value jobs and export opportunities in a coastal community," he said. "Through its founding principles of innovation and ambition, SeaQuest has built a business that's supplying vital technology and equipment to marine and aquaculture businesses across the world."
Award-winning moment – A SeaQuest Systems representative celebrates the Killybegs company's BIM Aquatech Business of the Year award at the Blue Ambition conference in Dublin. Photo: BIM
BIM chief executive Richard Donnelly told the conference that Ireland's seafood industry contributes €1.3 billion to the economy and supports almost 16,000 jobs.
"Fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing continue to be the mainstay of our coastal communities, having provided wealth and job creation for generations. But future trends indicate that Ireland can significantly develop our blue bioeconomy opportunity," he said.
The conference's keynote speaker was Fertram Sigurjonsson, founder of Icelandic biotechnology company Kerecis, which has developed medical technology using Atlantic cod skin for wound care and tissue regeneration. Discussions covered developing new marine ingredients, investment and technology needs for growing businesses, and commercial opportunities from marine biological resources.
Irish contributors included Professor Olivier Thomas of the University of Galway; Seabody co-founder Dr Helena McMahon; Pure Ocean Algae founder Michael O'Neill; Brian Fitzpatrick of Oriel Marine Extracts; and Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout.
International participants included representatives from Hatch Blue, Unilever, and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, along with marine restoration entrepreneur Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda of Restorae.
