Lanzarote News

Energy and telecom cable systems company Prysmian Group announced it has taken delivery of the "unique" and "record-breaking" battery-hybrid cable laying vessel Leonardo da Vinci. “Leonardo da Vinci is the most efficient cable layer in the world and from now onwards it will support the group’s long-term growth in the submarine cable installation business. It will be a game changer in strengthening our leadership in the interconnection and offshore wind farm markets,” stated Valerio Battista…

At least eight people were drowned after a boat carrying more than 35 migrants from the Maghreb region of North Africa and heading towards the Canary Islands capsized on Tuesday, emergency services said on Wednesday.Four people were found dead late on Tuesday and another four bodies were rescued on Wednesday morning. The emergency services said they were searching for any more missing persons.One of the 28 migrants rescued had to be transferred to a hospital.A Reuters reporter…

The Boudicca, a Fred Olsen cruise liner, with more than 1,000 people on-board has been left without power off the coast of Morocco after an engine fire. Passengers of the U.K. based luxury cruise liner were terrified when a fire plunged it into darkness and they prepared to abandon ship. The Boudicca was sailing off the coast of Casablanca, Morocco at 4am on Sunday when the engine room caught alight. As the ship lost power and started to list the passengers were ordered to put on life jackets and assemble at emergency locations. However, it is now on the move again with three auxiliary engines and two main engines running. No one was injured in the incident. The ship left Southampton on January 20 and was making its way to Lanzarote, when it caught fire this morning.

A Greenpeace ship was detained by Spanish authorities today in the port of Arrecife, Lanzarote, following last Saturday's protest against Repsol’s potential oil drilling in the Canary Islands. Spain’s Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (Ministerio de Fomento) has detained Arctic Sunrise, a ship operated by Greenpeace International, while an investigation is performed into the protest on November 15 which resulted in the injuries of two Greenpeace activists when the Spanish Navy allegedly rammed Arctic Sunrise, Greenpeace said.

Spanish oil company Repsol could begin prospecting for its $7-billion oil exploration project off the Canary Islands in October, Industry Minister Jose Manuel Soria said on Tuesday. Spain's Supreme Court last month rejected environmental appeals against 2012 government permits granted for oil exploration off the coasts of the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. "We should be thinking end of October," Soria told Spanish radio channel SER. His ministry would give the final authorization for prospecting next week and Repsol has said it would start three months later, said Soria. (Reporting By Jose Elias Rodriguez;

Spain's Supreme Court approved on Tuesday a $7-billion oil exploration project off the Canary Islands, clearing one of the final hurdles for oil company Repsol to begin drilling within months. In 2012, Spain's government granted permits for hydrocarbon exploration off the coasts of the Fuerteventura and Lanzarote islands, but they were frozen while courts decided on a number of appeals on environmental grounds. Of the seven appeals against drilling rejected by the Supreme Court, one was from the local Canary Island government, which initially supported the project but then turned against it. Repsol, which leads a consortium including Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Germany's RWE Dea AG…

Swan Hellenic’s Minerva sailed into Portsmouth, UK,  following its multi-million pound winter upgrade programme. With a maximum passenger capacity of just 350, popular amongst a discerning band of vacationers, the ship is soon off  on a 15 day cruise calling at Oporto and Lisbon (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Casablanca (Morocco) and Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Gomera, Santa Cruz de la Palma (Canary Islands) and Funchal (Madeira). HM Band of the Royal Marines will play from the ship’s deck as it departs

DryShips, Inc., announced that the company has entered into an agreement to purchase a 2000 built, 73,288 dwt Panamax bulk carrier for $72m. The vessel will be delivered charter free during the second quarter of 2008.  The Company has entered into an agreement to sell the 1996 built, 73,008 dwt Panamax bulk carrier, the MV Lanzarote, for $65m. Delivery to the new owners will take place during the second quarter of 2008. Once the sale is concluded the Company expects to realize a gain of approximately $36.3m.

Even a cursory analysis of the performance and capacity specifications of the Auto Express 66 catamaran “Bocayna Express” makes it obvious that Austal Ships has provided Fred. Olsen, SA with a class-leading ferry that reflects each company’s position at the forefront of the international fast ferry industry. Now that the 66 metre vehicle-passenger catamaran has completed sea trials and been handed over, the Australian shipbuilder and Spanish ferry operator are pleased to confirm that both speed and deadweight are higher than previously revealed. During construction every effort was made to save weight and a significant reduction in displacement has resulted in a fantastic improvement in maximum deadweight, which is in excess of 300 tonnes.

MSC Italian Cruises, based in Naples, Italy, has announced exciting plans for 2004. Their brand new flagship, the MSC Lirica, will have her inaugural celebration in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in January, and the company will introduce yet a second new cruise ship, the MSC Opera, in April 2004. Eight new ports have been added to the company’s Mediterranean itineraries for 2004 in keeping with MSC Italian Cruises commitment to vary its cruise destinations each year. “There is no question that MSC Italian Cruises plans a higher profile in the U.S. market by bringing its newest ship, the Lirica, to Florida this winter, “said Nicola Arena, president of MSC Italian Cruises (USA). MSC Italian Cruises has also added eight new ports of call to its Mediterranean itineraries in 2004.

DryShips, Inc., has entered into the following charters for its vessels with unaffiliated third parties: Its 1996 built 73,008 dwt Panamax bulk carrier M/V Lanzarote has been placed on time charter for a period of between five and seven months at a daily rate of $43,750, commencing on April 30, 2007. Its 1997 built 72,126 dwt Panamax bulk carrier M/V La Jolla has been placed on time charter for a period of between five and seven months at a daily rate of $46,000, commencing on April 30, 2007.