New research vessel ‘Alba na Mara’ to be completed

Macduff Shipyards are completing the new 27-metre research vessel ‘Alba na Mara’.

Presently undergoing trials in the Moray Firth the vessel has been designed and built in Macduff to the order of the Fisheries Research Services. Powered by twin Mitsubishi engines the vessel is fitted with a range of fishing and scientific deck machinery and electronic equipment.

Judge Orders Limits on Navy Sonar to Protect Whales

To protect marine wildlife, a federal judge ordered limits placed on the Navy's use of sonar off the Southern California coast.

Environmentalists, led by the National Resources Defense Council, claimed the mid-frequency active sonar used by the Navy during its exercises harms marine life, resulting in more beached whales. The Navy said the tests are crucial to train its sailors to detect quiet submarines. The U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Navy to stop using the sonar when marine mammals are within 2,200 yards and to monitor its test area for one hour before tests to make sure no marine wildlife is in the area. Cooper allowed the Navy to conduct exercises within 12 miles of the coast -- environmentalists had asked for a 25-mile exclusion zone -- because keeping exercises that far away "would unduly hamper the Navy's training efforts."
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Zambia awards Kuwait’s IPC 1.4 mln tonnes oil deal

Zambia has awarded a $1.2 billion two-year oil supply contract to Kuwait’s International Petroleum Group (IPG).

Energy and water development permanent secretary Peter Mumba said IPG had been selected ahead of four other international firms, including Russia’s Lukoil. “IPG has been awarded (a contract) for supply of 1,440,000 metric tonnes of crude oil over a period of two years and the first batch of 90,000 tonnes will arrive on or before 9 February.” IPG would supply 16 shipments of 90,000 tonnes of crude oil to the mineral-rich southern African country, which has recently faced serious fuel shortages. The cost of this crude oil will tentatively be $1.2 billion, it may go up or come down depending on the prices on the international market, and our hope is that the prices will begin to come down, Mumba said.
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Fishing boat sinks off France, six crew missing, one rescued

A fishing boat sank in rough seas off the northwest coast of France on Monday and rescuers searching for the seven crew have found one survivor.

The 24-meter La Petite Julie sent out distress signals in the early hours to signal that it was sinking, about 54 kilometers north of the small island Ile Vierge, off Brittany's coast. Rescuers found one man suffering from shock and in the early stages of hypothermia. Two empty lifeboats were spotted near the site of the sinking. Weather conditions were rough, with heavy winds and cold temperatures.
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‘Fluor wins $334m Kuwait work’

State oil explorer Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has handed a $334 million consultancy deal to US engineering and services company Fluor.

Fluor would provide consultancy services to manage unidentified projects and parts of its activities in the next five years, extending a previous agreement. The deal would help KOC to improve its production, KOC chief executive Sami al-Rushaid said. State refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) was in talks with Fluor for a tender package for the country's planned 615,000 bpd refinery, with one of them saying it was worth $2 billion. KOC said that it had reached a preliminary deal with US super major ExxonMobil to produce heavy oil in the north of the Gulf Arab state and aimed to boost production to 900,000 barrels per day by 2020.
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Australian accused of cruise ship rape

An Australian man has been accused of raping a New Zealand woman on a cruise ship in the South Pacific, prompting investigations by Vanuatu and French authorities.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said a 37-year-old NSW man had been accused of rape aboard the P&O Cruise ship the Pacific Star on New Year's Eve, but no arrest had been made. French police had been called to the ship during a stopover at Lifou Island in New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands group. The 46-year-old female tourist was found bruised and in a state of shock in the early hours of the morning. The company would not comment on the alleged rape but had ensured that French, Australian, New Zealand and Vanuatu police were aware of the allegation. Sydney police were unaware of the alleged incident, a spokesperson said, adding it was normal practice for authorities in the next port of call to investigate alleged crimes on board ships.
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