Eskom buys raw export coal to boost quality-miners

South African state utility Eskom is having to buy more raw, unwashed export coal on a spot basis because much of its newly-rebuilt stocks are powdered fines difficult to handle.

Eskom has been battling a power supply crisis that has hit the country's lifeblood mining industry and caused blackouts. Eskom has during the past month been buying crushed run-of-mine (ROM) coal at just under R300 a tonne free-on-truck to blend with fines making them useable. Eskom has signed new term contracts in the past two months at around R150 a tonne FOT, double last year's contract price. A high proportion of fines delivered to the plants would leave Eskom little option but to buy ROM coal at market value in order to sweeten the blend and ensure maximum power generation round the clock. Eskom has also bought a small amount of washed, export coal at around R600 a tonne FOT, where ROM has not been immediately available, according to one mining source. Earlier this week, Eskom spokesman Andrew Etzinger acknowledged that the utility had experienced difficulty handling and burning fine coal over the past few years. This remains a problem for Eskom, he said. "It's as much an issue of quality as quantity," he said. Coal mining companies have pledged an additional 5.4 million tonnes to Eskom for delivery within the next couple of months and this coal is starting to be moved. The majority of large and small coal producers have stepped up deliveries to Eskom during the past few weeks and are delivering coal of the size and quality sought by the utility.
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Avalanche buries PetroChina crew

Four PetroChina employees are dead and several are missing after an avalanche in north-western China’s Xinjiang region buried workers digging a tunnel for the company’s second west-to-east gas pipeline.

The avalanche struck at a mountain construction site for the 30 billion-cubic-metre-a-year pipeline linking Turkmenistan and eastern and southern China. About 70 workers were digging a 3.8-kilometre tunnel for the pipeline in the northern part of Xinjiang. More than 200 rescue workers were now searching for the missing, it said. The news service said 12 workers were buried by the avalanche, of which four had been found dead. The rescue operation was slowed by sub-freezing temperatures and heavy snow, deputy chief Zhang has been qouted as saying. "Machines, like bulldozers, can hardly get in as the road linking the construction site and the outside was covered by about one metre of snow," he said. PetroChina started building the pipeline in February. The $20.3 billion link consists of one trunk line and eight branch lines with a total length of 9102 kilometres. The western section of the line is scheduled to start operation next year. PetroChina already operates China's flagship west-east pipeline connecting gas fields in the Xinjiang region with the commercial hub of Shanghai, 4000 kilometres away on the east coast.

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China Maritime 2008, the International maritime exhibition

China Maritime, the most significant international maritime exhibition in thriving South China is held from March 12 to 14, 2008 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

China Maritime will again bring together the cream of the international maritime industry to create an efficient, effective and truly international marine market place. It showcases the latest in maritime, shipping and port technology and services from throughout the world. This event will provide the perfect opportunity to meet new suppliers and customers and to renew old acquaintances. The Hong Kong location provides an effective and enjoyable bridge between East and West. China Maritime offers a first class medium whereby local Chinese and international exhibitors’ alike can promote their products or services to a high quality international audience, which will be drawn from Hong Kong, China, and many other places. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre are easily accessible. The centre is a 57-hectare commercial complex with all the most modern facilities for international trade exhibitions and events. It is located on the waterfront in the heart of bustling Wanchai on beautiful Hong Kong Island. The opening times for the exhibition are from 1000hrs to 1800hrs each day. The forums will run from 1000hrs to 1300hrs each day and the product presentation seminars from 1400 to 1700hrs.

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Queen of Spain christens the 'Juan Carlos I'

Coinciding with the year's liveliest high tide, the 'Juan Carlos I' was launched March 10, 2008, at 6:09 p.m., from Navantia's Ferrol shipyard.

At the ceremony, Her Majesty the Queen of Spain sponsored the launching of this vessel, that will become the biggest in the history of the Spanish Navy next December, when commissioning will take place. H.M. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Asturias, arrived at the shipyard a few minutes prior to the ceremony. They were greeted at the slipway by Emilio Pérez Touriño, president of the Autonomous Region of Galicia; José Antonio Alonso, Ministry of Defense; Enrique Martínez Robles, chairman of the State Company for Industrial Participations (SEPI in Spanish), Navantia´s chairman, Juan Pedro Gómez Jaén, and the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, Admiral Sebastián Zaragoza. Hundreds of guests invited to the historical event had packed the stands over the last half hour. Featured among the many authorities were the ambassador of Australia, Noel Campbell, representatives of the navies and nations with which Navantia sustains special relationship as Norway and South Africa, and executives of more than 100 subcontractors of the Program. It is 230-metre in length and weighs 18,000 tonnes. The historical event came to a conclusion with the King and Queen's inauguration of the new Shipbuilding Museum, located at the former dockyard nearby.

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Philippines grounds vessel after collision with Cebu bridge

The Maritime Industry Authority in Central Visayas has ordered the grounding of a 998.5gt vessel MTKR Damar that collided with the Marcelo Fernan Bridge that connects the island of Mactan to mainland Cebu in the Philippines.

The incident, which has drawn the attention of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, is expected to set a precedent in terms of policy toward vessels involved in such accidents. The policy is likely to be drawn up by the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) and will impact all vessels in the area. The vessel, owned by the Sea-Tech Transport company, is said to have run into the columns of the bridge following engine failure in the early hours of March 11 as it crossed the Mactan Channel from Naga City en-route to Cagayan de Oro City. The governor is expected to charge the owner of the vessel for exemplary damages and expenses related to the incident. Although there has been no major damage reported, the bridge has been closed down pending an investigation of whether it is still structurally sound. The MTKR DAMAR is required to undergo a survey and safety inspection to determine its seaworthiness and compliance with other safety requirements to resume its normal operation.

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Gulf Craft launches five new models

Gulf Craft Inc, the Middle East's largest boat and yacht manufacturer, has revealed five new models at this year's DIBS.

The new additions include two new luxury yachts, the Majesty 77 and Majesty 121; the Silver Craft 37, the Silver Craft range representing Gulf Craft's latest product line up; and the revolutionary Oryx 40 Fly and 46 Fly. Gulf Craft Inc is also positioning itself as the holding company for the three boat brands -Silver Craft, Oryx and Majesty yachts. With separate marketing and product strategies behind each of the three brands, Gulf Craft Inc is diversifying and targeting different market niches with different product divisions, Gulf Craft's chairman Mohammed Hussain Al Shaali said. Launching a record number of models at this year's Boat Show, Gulf Craft is debuting its new generation of Majesty Yachts which feature a new sleek, modern style and contemporary interior that is favoured among its growing European customer base, he added. "Over the last 12 months Gulf Craft has seen a significant rise in the number of European dealerships and customers. Global economic trends such as a weak dollar and a strong Euro have enabled Gulf Craft to increase its market share in Europe. The Majesty 77 represents the new Majesty Yachts generation, replacing the Majesty 75, launched in 2004.

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Unique design solution wins DOF contract for Aker Yards

Aker Yards has been awarded a contract with DOF ASA to build an innovative LNG-powered platform supply vessel.

The vessel is designed and equipped with the newest and most innovative environmentally friendly equipment and solutions. After delivery from Aker Yards in Norway in 2010, the vessel will operate on charter for StatoilHydro ASA. The selected solutions and engine systems for the new and modern platform supply vessel (PSV) are a response to the focus on more environmental cautious ship transportation of various bulk cargos, liquids and equipment to and from offshore locations worldwide. The vessel will be equipped with duel fuel engines able to run on both LNG and ordinary marine diesel. By using environmentally friendly LNG propulsion, the engines can reduce NOx emissions by 85-90 percent in addition to significant reductions of CO2 emissions. The patent pending design solution is unique because the LNG tank does not reduce cargo capacity for the vessel, rather the new design has a higher cargo capacity than other vessels of the same size. Aker Yards is a leading player in the global market for purpose-built offshore service vessels. The vessels have been designed by Aker Yards Project in Ålesund, Norway. The Aker PSV 06 LNG vessel will be built at Aker Yards in Norway.

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