IMC Maritime Newsletter August 11, 2011
Third contract awarded for Western Basin dredging at Gladstone
Van Oord Australia Pty Ltd and Dredging International (Australia) Pty Ltd have been awarded a third contract for the Western Basin Main Works Dredging at the Port of Gladstone. This third contract signed with the Gladstone Ports Corporation on 15 July 2011 has a value of Euros 90 million (A$ 120 million) and involves the dredging of Parcel 7 for the Western Basin Development. The total value of the three contracts awarded to date by the Gladstone Ports Corporation to the Joint Venture for the Western Basin development exceeds A$925 million (Euros 695 million).
Crude Oil Rises a Second Day After Supplies Drop
Oil rose a second day in New York as rebounding equity markets and a drop in U.S. crude supplies tempered concern that the economic recovery is unraveling. Futures climbed as much as 1.9 percent, reversing an earlier 2.1 percent decline.
How to Tow a Building-Sized Iceberg
French engineer Georges Mougin has a big idea. He wants to go to Antarctica, tie a big rope around a six-million-ton iceberg, drag it back to Africa and melt it into fresh, drinkable water. Some might call him crazy, but Mougin reckons the plan could work. Using 3D computer simulations and declassified satellite data, his “IceDream” team believes that towing a drifting mountain of fresh water to Africa is absolutely possible.
North Sea Wind Farm Proves Beneficial to Local Fauna
A new study has found that many species of marine life can benefit from the presence of an offshore wind farm once it has been constructed. From fishing to oil and gas excavation, the sea is a hub of human activity that has far-reaching consequences on marine life. In recent years, as the green revolution kicks in, a new human activity is taking place in Europe’s seas – the construction of offshore wind power plants. A new study has found that many species of marine life can benefit from the presence of an offshore wind farm once it has been constructed.