Artificial Island News

The Philippine foreign ministry said on Thursday that China has no right to object to or interfere with its lawful and routine activities in the South China Sea.The ministry said it also "rejects and refutes" recent statements of the Chinese embassy in Manila that Beijing has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands.The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and China between them have claims and a presence on dozens of features in the Spratly archipelago, ranging from reefs and rocks to islands, natural and artificial.

The Philippines and China exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway.The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry.Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Portions of the waterway…

China released on Friday its first survey report of the South China Sea's disputed Sabina Shoal, saying there was no scientific or factual basis for reef damage claims made by the Philippines.In the report by the natural resource ministry conducted from May to July, it found that key habitat index values in the reef area were within the suitable growth range of the coral reef system."As for the claim concocted by the Philippines that China's artificial accumulation of coral debris at Xianbin Reef has caused a large number of coral bleaching and death in the region…

China's coast guard said it was monitoring Philippine patrol and fishing vessels that have gathered around the contested Sabina Shoal, citing China's "indisputable sovereignty" over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.China's coast guard had been monitoring the vessels since Saturday, spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement late on Sunday.Gan said patrol boats from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and multiple fishing boats have gathered in…

The Philippines said on Saturday it has deployed ships to a disputed area in the South China Sea, where it accused China of building "an artificial island" in an escalating maritime row.The coast guard sent a ship "to monitor the supposed illegal activities of China, creating 'an artificial island'," the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in a statement, adding two other vessels were in rotational deployment in the area.Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela told a forum there had been "small-scale reclamation" of the Sabina Shoal…

The Danish government has postponed the launch of a tender to establish a North Sea energy island project due to high costs, the country's ministry of energy said on Wednesday.The project included the construction of an artificial island in the North Sea that would serve as a hub to gather and distribute power generated by surrounding offshore wind turbines.

Belgium's transmission operator, Elia, has presented its draft plans for what is expected to be the world’s first artificial energy island. The energy island, called the Princess Elisabeth Island, will be located almost 45 km off the Belgian coast and will serve as the link between the offshore wind farms in the second offshore wind zone (which will have a maximum capacity of 3.5 GW) and its onshore high-voltage grid. Elia, which presented the plans in the presence of federal ministers Tinne Van der Straeten (Energy) and Vincent Van Quickenborne (North Sea)…

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has proposed to construct an artificial island dedicated to large-scale production of green hydrogen from offshore wind – called "BrintØ" - in the Danish part of the North Sea. According to CIP, one of the world’s largest dedicated fund managers within greenfield renewable energy investments, the Hydrogen Island is expected to be able to produce one million tons of green hydrogen per year once fully built and will thus be "a crucial step…

Denmark-based offshore wind developer Ørsted and ATP, Denmark’s largest institutional investor, have teamed up to bring leading offshore construction specialists to Denmark to support their bid for the North Sea energy island.Back in February, Denmark approved the construction of the first of its kind wind energy hub in the North Sea that promises to produce yet unseen amounts of green electricity, in what has been described as the largest construction project in Danish history.The…

Denmark has reached a deal on the construction of the first of its kind wind energy hub in the North Sea that promises to produce yet unseen amounts of green electricity, in what has been described as the largest construction project in Danish history.The energy hub - an artificial island - will serve as an offshore power plant gathering and distributing green electricity from hundreds of wind turbines surrounding the island directly to consumers in countries surrounding the North Sea.

Dutch dredging and heavylift company Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has received the Provisional Letter of Acceptance for the Design and Construction contract for the Pasay Reclamation Development Project in Manila Bay, Philippines in cooperation with CHEC from China.The award was made by the publicly listed company SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI), one of the largest property developers in Southeast Asia. The development will create a new commercial and residential area in a densely populated part of Manila. The project has an estimated value of approximately USD 720 million (EUR 650 million) of which Boskalis’ share amounts to approximately EUR 325 million.Peter Berdowski, Boskalis CEO said: “We are delighted with the award of this substantial contract from SMPHI.

A consortium of Van Oord and BAM International completed the construction of the APM Terminals Moín in Costa Rica. Last week’s inauguration of the container terminal will enable products to be shipped on transatlantic routes to European and Asian markets without transshipment.The project represents a total investment of $1 billion and is built on a 40-hectare artificial island. The terminal has a 650-m long quay wall and a container yard with the capacity to hold 26,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), including power connection capacity for 3,800 refrigerated containers.

The inauguration of APM Terminals Moín, Costa Rica yesterday will enable products to be shipped on transatlantic routes to European and Asian markets without transshipment.The new terminal will also move Costa Rica to number one for connectivity, out of 139 countries ranked by the World Economic Forum, said a press release from the international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands."At APM Terminals we partner with governments to become the best port operator in the world and Moín is a great example. Without any doubt, we are inaugurating today a new era in international and intra-regional trade in Central America,” said Morten H. Engelstoft, CEO of APM Terminals.

APM Terminals’ Moín Container Terminal (MCT) in Costa Rica has been granted permission by the National Council of Concessions (CNC) to start commercial operations at its first deep-sea berth. This is a key step for the terminal, which is on schedule to be fully operational in February 2019.The permit, which is subject to meeting all safety and service requirements, will enable the transfer of all commercial container ships currently serviced at Puerto Limón and Puerto Moín to the MCT. This will take place once APM Terminals delivers the dock´s first phase, which includes two berths and 40 hectares of artificial island due in February 2019.

Italian oil producer Eni began drilling the new well off the north coast of Alaska, becoming the first company to do so since 2015, reports Reuters. "New oil exploration in Arctic federal waters is underway this week with the spudding of a new oil well from an existing man-made island in the Beaufort Sea. Two Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) personnel were on-hand Monday ensuring compliance with approved permits, federal regulations and safety standards as Eni U.S. Operating Co Inc began new well operations from Spy Island Drillsite in State waters," said a press statement from regulator U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

Italian oil producer Eni this week began drilling a new well in U.S. waters off the north coast of Alaska, becoming the first company to do so since 2015, federal regulators said on Wednesday. The oil and gas firm is working from an artificial island in the Beaufort Sea about three miles off Oliktok Point in the Arctic Ocean. The well is expected to run more than 6 miles (10 km) long. The project could result in 20,000 barrels a day of oil production, according to regulator U.S.

The U.S. Navy on Wednesday said it had removed Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin after a series of collisions involving its warships in Asia as the search goes on for 10 sailors missing since the latest mishap. Aucoin's removal comes after a pre-dawn collision between a guided-missile destroyer and a merchant vessel east of Singapore and Malaysia on Monday, the fourth major incident in the U.S. Pacific Fleet this year. "Admiral Scott Swift, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, today relieved the commander of Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," the U.S. Navy said in a press release.

Ten U.S. sailors were missing after a collision between a destroyer and a tanker east of Singapore on Monday, the second involving a U.S. warship and a merchant ship in Asia in about two months, triggering a fleet-wide probe of operations and training. The guided-missile destroyer John S. McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided while the warship was heading to Singapore for a routine port call. The collision tore a hole in the warship's waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. "Initial reports indicate John S.

A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a "freedom of navigation operation" on Thursday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China in the South China Sea, U.S. officials told Reuters. The operation came as President Donald Trump's administration seeks Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs and could complicate efforts to secure a common stance. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the USS John S. McCain traveled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals.

Eni US will become the first energy company allowed to explore for oil in federal waters off Alaska since 2015 after the Trump administration this week approved a drilling plan on leases the company has been sitting on for 10 years. The approval is conditional on Eni getting other state and federal permits, which in past cases are generally granted once BOEM gives the green light. "We know there are vast oil and gas resources under the Beaufort Sea, and we look forward to working with Eni in their efforts to tap into this energy potential," said BOEM's acting Director Walter Cruickshank.

U.S. Navy ships are on track to spend more time in the South China Sea this year, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott Swift said on Thursday in China, where a U.S. warship was making a port call. The visit by the USS Sterett guided-missile destroyer to Zhanjiang in Guangdong province, the first U.S. warship to visit China since President Donald Trump took office, comes amid tension in the disputed South China Sea, where Washington has criticised Beijing for building artificial islands. U.S.

In the waning days of 2016, the outlook brightened dramatically for the big U.S. dredging contractors. Just before Congress dispersed for the Holidays, then-President Obama signed a pivotal piece of legislation – the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, S612. Authorized needed investment in America’s ports, channels, locks, dams, and other infrastructure that supports the maritime and waterways transportation system and provides flood protection. Authorized U.S.

The world of dredging is an ever changing and endlessly fascinating niche of the global marine industry, an indispensable activity essential to keeping world commerce flowing. For insight on recent trends we visited last month with René Kolman, Secretary General, International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC), for his take on a world of dredging challenges and opportunities. In true Dutch fashion René Kolman is refreshingly forthright. Kolman assumed the mantle of leadership at IADC more than seven years ago, coming to the post from the landscape and garden trade association business.