Substantial Equipment News

NBGI Private Equity, investor in Aberdeen-based ATR Group, is acquiring the Aberdeen and Norway operations of Cosalt Offshore. The deal, due to complete later today, will reportedly stabilie the Cosalt business which has been through a difficult period in recent years, safeguard jobs and provide funding to capitalize on international growth opportunities. ATR chief executive, Keith Moorhouse, will lead the enlarged group. He said, “This deal will be welcomed by Cosalt’s staff, customers and suppliers as an end to a period of uncertainty. Cosalt has an excellent technical and operational reputation and is an integral part of the supply chain of many of the energy sector’s leading oil service companies and operators.

UK based Forth Ports orders the carriers for its upgrade of the London Container Terminal (LCT) at Tilbury. Forth Ports is investing in substantial equipment and site upgrading to LCT to ensure customers continue to receive a first rate and enhanced service. It is also integrating LCT with the busy short-sea terminal, also located at Tilbury. Part of the investment plan is the purchase of 14 new Kalmar ESC 450W straddle carriers from Cargotec. LCT handles in excess of half a million containers per year and is the only UK port servicing both deep sea and short sea customers. It is located on the Thames and is a key shipping and distribution location with access to London and the South East.

Cargotec has secured an order for 14 Kalmar straddle carriers from UK based Forth Ports as part of a major investment and upgrade program  at its London Container Terminal (LCT) at Tilbury. Forth Ports is investing in substantial equipment and site upgrading to LCT to ensure customers continue to receive a first rate and enhanced service. It is also integrating LCT with the busy short-sea terminal, also located at Tilbury. Part of the investment plan is the purchase of 14 new Kalmar ESC 450W straddle carriers from Cargotec.

Rapp Hydema U.S. has begun a major expansion of its industrial yard in Seattle, increasing its yard size by some 2700 sq. ft. Owing to a substantial equipment inventory, Rapp has leased space in recent years at a nearby Commodore Way yard from the Port of Seattle; the new yard expansion will, however, allow all that inventory to be more conveniently placed--on Rapp's own property. In order to utilize this back part of Rapp's original site, some 900 yards of fill dirt had to be removed; this material, forming a 8-ft. high plateau overgrown with a dense thicket of weedy growth, was what had been generated from the laying of the original yard area. Contractor Peterson Trucking & Excavation laid down 230 yards of rock (at a depth of over 24" in places) following soil removal.

A 15-man member of the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the Philippines is set to begin its three-day inquiry into the Guimaras oil spill to help the government address the problem in aid of legislation, tempo.com.ph reported. According to the committee, the main purpose of the probe is to determine how to assist the government in the task of cleaning up the oil mess and its surroundings, as well as to look into how the local government unit (LGU) could immediately respond in times of similar disasters. In the process of investigation, the probe body expects to interview Petron chairman Nicasio Alcantara and Sunshine Maritime Development Corp.