Oslo / New York, September 2025 – Aker BioMarine and Aker QRILL Company will take part in the Clinton Global Initiative in New York this week, highlighting a long-stalled proposal to establish one of the world’s largest marine protected areas in the Antarctic Peninsula.
A Defining Test for 30x30
The proposal, submitted by Argentina and Chile, has been under discussion at CCAMLR, the body governing Antarctic marine resources, for more than a decade. If adopted, it would safeguard 455,957 km² of ocean — nearly 70% of the Antarctic Peninsula — including krill spawning grounds and habitats for penguins, seals, and whales.
Today, only 2.3% of the world’s oceans are fully protected. Meeting the UN’s 30x30 target is becoming urgent as 2030 draws closer.
Matts Johansen, CEO of Aker BioMarine and Chairman of Aker QRILL Company, said:
“The clock is ticking for the ocean. We are five years away from 2030, and still more than 97 percent of the sea remains unprotected. The Antarctic Peninsula is central to the future of biodiversity and climate resilience, and it is time to move from debate to action. Protecting it will demand unusual partnerships and real dialogue between governments, NGOs, philanthropy, science, and industry. This is not about sides, it is about the future of our oceans.”
Industry Steps Forward
As the largest industry actor operating in Antarctica, Aker has declared its active support for the Argentina–Chile initiative. A final decision will require consensus among all 27 CCAMLR member states and is expected in October 2025.
Johansen noted that the Antarctic krill industry has already shown that collaboration is possible. In 2019, fishing companies and environmental NGO Greenpeace reached agreement on a voluntary closure near penguin colonies, showing how progress is possible when stakeholders work together.
“That agreement proved that even the most unlikely partners can find common ground when the stakes are high. We care deeply about the ocean, and lasting protection will only come if we work together rather than against each other. If it can be done in Antarctica, the same spirit must guide other fisheries too. We still have a long way to go to meet the 2030 goal, and collaboration is the only way forward.”
Aker will use the CGI platform to engage with global leaders and partners in the search for common ground on the Antarctic MPA proposal. The company views this as an opportunity to connect conservation ambition with the shared principles of a sustainable ocean economy.