There’s been a harbour at Gibraltar for 2,000 years; but today it’s never handled so little freight. Instead, it has found its own unique mix of services, as Alan Swaby learns.

 

If ever an estate agent was called upon to sell the Port of Gibraltar, you know for a fact it wouldn’t take long for them to start banging the ‘location, location, location’ drum. At the crossroads to just about all north/south and east/west routes, it couldn’t be better placed. 


GeoSea, part of the DEME group of companies, has applied a pioneering approach to a host of underwater construction challenges. Business development manager Bart De Poorter talks to Jayne Alverca about the company’s flair for innovation.

 


The Hamilton Harbour development is creating a new iconic landmark in Brisbane, Queensland; and represents a major milestone for project managers Devine Constructions. Commercial contracts manager George Defteros talks to Jayne Alverca about the development.

 


African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) is bringing world class Australian deep mining practices to West Africa and proving itself an essential partner to some of the world’s leading gold mining companies.

 


New partners from Germany and France have been signed up to the South Stream gas pipeline project, it has been announced.

Germany’s Wintershall Holding and France’s EDF have each acquired a 15 per cent stake in the offshore section of the South Stream project through a 30 per cent reduction of Italian Eni's stake.

South Stream is a project conceived by Russia’s Gazprom to construct a gas pipeline across the Black Sea to South European and Central European countries, for the purpose of diversifying natural gas export routes.


Alcoa intends to expand its Davenport, Iowa rolled products plant to meet rising demand from the automotive market.

Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are switching from steel to aluminum in their drive to increase the fuel efficiency, safety, durability and performance of their vehicles.


Kingfisher, Europe's leading home improvement retailer, has announced it will create over 1,200 new jobs across the UK this year as it expands its B&Q and Screwfix stores.

The expansion plans will bring Kingfisher's total investment in the UK this year to £130 million, with a combined total of over 80 new Screwfix and B&Q stores being opened during 2011.


With the expansion of the Panama Canal due for completion in 2015, the Port Authority of Jamaica is planning an ambitious program of improvements to ensure the Kingston Container Terminal remains the premier container port of the Caribbean.

 


Honeywell Electronic Materials announced today it will more than double its refining and casting capacity for high-purity copper and tin at its Spokane, Washington facility in response to rising demand in the semiconductor industry.

Demand for the copper material has been steadily growing as new advanced chip designs continue to require high-purity copper. Additional industry growth has come as memory manufacturers transition from aluminum to copper. The use of copper and tin for advanced chip packaging applications is similarly on the rise.


Rockhopper Exploration has announced further significant oil finds in the North Falkland Basin in the South Atlantic.

The company has encountered more oil during drilling of a fifth well to a total depth of 2,696 metres within its Sea Lion prospect.