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The Most Influential Data Center Operators in North America, EMEA, Oceania & Asia Announced in Cloudscene’s Q2 … – Business Wire (press release)

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

BRISBANE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cloudscene, the world's largest directory of colocation data centers, cloud service providers and network fabrics, has revealed the top ten data center operators in North America, EMEA, Oceania and Asia for the second quarter of this year.

This quarter saw Equinix not only dominate all four leaderboards, but further extend its lead from the second ranked operator in every region.

Despite this, the strength of the top two market players was solidified this quarter as the overall scores for second in line - Digital Realty, Interxion, NextDC and SUNeVision - continued to grow.

Global Switch accompanied Equinix as the only other service provider to be ranked across more than two leaderboards, with third, fourth and fifth places in Oceania, Asia and EMEA respectively.

Selected from a pool of more than 5,300 service providers listed on Cloudscene, the results for Q2, 2017 provides industry insight into the operators with the most influence in the data center market:

North America

EMEA

Equinix

Digital Realty

Interxion

CoreSite

Telehouse

Zayo

Digital Realty

Cologix

Global Switch

Cyxtera

Level 3 Communications

itconic

TierPoint

Nikhef

Netrality Properties

Colt Technology Services

10.

365 Data Centers

10.

Orange Business Services

Equinix

NextDC

SUNeVision

Global Switch

NTT Communications

Vocus Communications

Global Switch

AAPT

Netmagic

PIPE Networks

GPX Global Systems

iseek

AIMS Data Centre

Datacom

ST Telemedia

Macquarie Telecom Group

Cyxtera

10.

YourDC

10.

CenterServ

Serial tech entrepreneur and Cloudscenes founder, Bevan Slattery said: Weve taken independent industry data from the worlds largest database of colocation facilities and service providers, to provide a ranking of the data center operators with the most influence in their region.

Whilst we expect the movement to be minimal in the top half of the leaderboard each quarter, what will be interesting to follow is the change in the second half rankings where you can see competition is rife. The scores are extremely tight and you can really get a feel for how fierce the market must be between the medium-sized players.

Q2 changes also resulted in six new entrants, with Cyxtera, Netrality Properties, itconic, ST Telemedia, Macquarie Telecom and YourDC joining the leaderboard rankings.

Based on data center market density (number of facilities) and connectivity (PoPs), the leaderboard scores are obtained from Cloudscenes independent global database and relate to the April to June 2017 period.

The spread of connectivity for Q2, 2017 was centralized to North America and EMEA. Of the total 17,000+ PoPs managed by the ranked data center operators, 43.10% of the PoPs were in North America, 39.63% in EMEA, 9.15% in Oceania and 8.11% in Asia.

Further analysis, graphs and complete data for Cloudscenes Q2, 2017 Leaderboard is available at http://www.cloudscene.com/news

This quarter, Cloudscene has also released a Fast 50 list of global organizations making an impact on the data center sector. Based on growth, the Fast 50 companies are available at http://www.cloudscene.com/fast50

About Cloudscene: Cloudscene is the world's largest directory of colocation data centers, cloud service providers and network fabrics. Established by tech entrepreneur, Bevan Slattery, Cloudscene helps in the selection of colocation, IaaS, cloud and internet service providers http://www.cloudscene.com

The Most Influential Data Center Operators in North America, EMEA, Oceania & Asia Announced in Cloudscene's Q2 ... - Business Wire (press release)

Sooners prep for Oceania – Tahlequah Daily Press

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

NORMAN - The Oklahoma Sooners are packing their bags to go half-way around the world.

In preparation for the upcoming season, they are traveling to Oceania for 12 days, featuring four exhibitions against international competition in Australia and New Zealand from August 3 to August 14, announced Friday. Competition starts against the New Zealand Select in Auckland, New Zealand on August 6. Then, the Sooners have three games against teams from Australia's premier basketball league, the NBL.

They face the Southerland Sharks on August 9, the Sydney Kings on August 10 and the Cairns Taipans August 13. The trip will carry a special significance for redshirt-sophomore Matt Freeman, who is from Auckland, New Zealand. Freeman averaged 2.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 29 games, two starts, last season with the Sooners.

"It's going to be pretty special," Freeman said.

"For me, the amount of time I get to go home is very limited during the year, so anytime I get to go home is meaningful. It's extra special that I'll get to be there with my other family - getting to take everyone home that's close to me here and show them where I've been brought up."

The NCAA allows basketball teams to travel outside the U.S. to face foreign competition once every four years. Kruger and the Sooners most recently traveled to France and Belgium for 10 days in 2013. OU also traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2003 under Kelvin Sampson and to Vancouver, B.C., in 2007 under Jeff Capel.

Making international trips also comes with additional practice time. OU added eight more practices in July and two in August due in preparation for the exhibitions.

But the trip isn't all about basketball. It will be a good chance for the student athletes to experience all that Oceania has to offer.

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Sooners prep for Oceania - Tahlequah Daily Press

Oc appoints new Oceania region chief – iTWire

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Digital imaging and industrial printing company Oc Australia has appointed Craig Nethercott as managing director for the Oceania region.

Nethercott joins Oc a Canon group company with more than 17 years experience in the print industry, having held several senior positions in Canon and Oc in the UK where he worked across various business functions including sales, services and marketing.

He began his career in the production printing industry, and was previously director of the commercial print group at Canon UK and Ireland for more than four years focusing on cross-functional capabilities, talent development, and strategic planning.

Nethercott will officially take up the role on 1 October and, from now, will spend time setting up the organisation and working alongside the Canon Australia team to ensure a smooth transition for customers and employees.

With nearly two decades of valued experience across the business, Craig will play a pivotal role in delivering strong results while continuing to put our customers and employees at the centre of what we do.

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Oc appoints new Oceania region chief - iTWire

Fiji focused on securing Oceania 1 spot – Rugby World Cup 2019 (press release) (blog)

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Pacific Nations Cup

Having claimed back-to-back wins over tier one nations in June, Fiji will hope to continue their impressive form against Tonga on Saturday to confirm their place at RWC 2019.

Fiji coach John McKee has made five changes to his starting line-up for Saturdays match against hosts Tonga as the reigning World Rugby Pacific Nations champions go in search of the result that will secure them their place at Rugby World Cup 2019.

A win or a draw at the Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa will be enough for Fiji to become the second team after USA to emerge from the qualification process for the tournament in Japan in two years time.

Asaeli Tikoirotuma (pictured), who played a starring role in helping London Irish win promotion back to the English Premiership, comes in at outside centre for his first appearance in national colours this year. He replaces Albert Vulivuli, while the only other change to the backline sees Timoci Nagusa step in at full-back at the expense of Kini Murimurivalu.

In the forwards, captain Akapusi Qera shifts from number eight to openside flanker with Nemani Negusa taking his place at the back of the scrum. There are two new starting props in Campese Maafu and Manasa Saulo.

Wins over Italy and Scotland in their last two internationals have boosted 10th-ranked Fijis rating to 78.06 and they can close to within a third of a point of Argentina if they win well on Saturday.

However, qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2019 as Oceania 1 is clearly their primary focus though this weekend, something they will achieve with a win or bonus-point draw against Tonga.

"We take confidence from our success against Italy and Scotland but those wins count for nothing in terms of RWC qualification. It is this weekend's match performance that is important, said McKee.

This match against Tonga is very important for us to achieve our goal of finishing as Oceania 1.

Taking results from the last 2016 and 2017 Pacific Nations Cup into consideration, the top-ranked team will occupy the spot reservedforOceania 1 in Pool D where matchesagainst Australia, Wales, Georgia and Americas 2 (either Canada or Uruguay) lie in await.

VIEW LATEST PNC STANDINGS >>

Heading into the final two rounds of the Pacific Nations Cup 2017, Fiji top the standings on eight points with Tonga and Samoa level on five. Fiji travel to Apia to play Samoa in the final match next Saturday.

Tonga kept alive their hopes of qualifying as Oceania 1 or 2 and avoiding a play-off against a European team with a tremendous 30-26 win over Samoa last weekend in what was their home test match in eight years.

"We expect a very physical encounter with Tonga on Saturday," McKee said. "Tonga played very well in winning against Samoa last week which will give them a lot of confidence coming into this match and they will be backed by a very loud local crowd.

"We will need to be absolutely on top of our game and not be distracted by the crowd."

VIEW FULL RANKINGS >>

A victoriousTonga will move up one place in the World Rugby Rankings, possibly two, depending on the margin. They are currently in 13th place but have Georgia and Japan within their sights.

The Ikale Tahi starting team shows two changes to the one that downed Samoa, with Rugby World Cup veteran Nili Latu and Nafi Tuitavake replaced at flanker and centre respectively by Jack Ram and Tevita Taufui.

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Fiji focused on securing Oceania 1 spot - Rugby World Cup 2019 (press release) (blog)

Marshall Islands make history with first ever FIBA bronze medal … – FIBA

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

13/07/2017

News

Marshall Islands v Palau, 2017 FIBA U17 Women's Oceania Championship (GUM), Hagatna(GUM), Division B Finals, 13 July 2017

GUAM (FIBA Womens Oceania Championship 2017) The Marshall Islands U17 Womens team have made history today winning their first ever FIBA U17 Womens Oceania Championship 2017 Bronze Medal. Marshall Islands defeated Palau 59-42, to claim the Division B Bronze Medal.

Berlin Phillipo led her team with 13 points and 15 rebounds in the victory.

Marshall Islands used their physicality to outrebound Palau 75-50 and forced 30 Palau turnovers.

BerlinPhillipo attacks the basket for Marshall Islands

The mother-son coaching staff of the Marshall Islands, Lani and Neilani Ackley, were proud that their team was able to gain experience while playing in the tournament. When asked about bringing home a Bronze Medal with them, the coaches were happy and glad to be able to bring something home.

It feels fantastic that we are able to bring home a medal, said Lani. Feels good, especially for the girls to be able to gain this experience, added Neilani.

Lani said that coaching in the tournament has been quite an experience for him.

There has been a whole bunch of feelings,it's been kind of a roller-coaster ride, but it's been goodsince none of us have experienced this before.

I think one thing we could improve would be work-ethic and seeing how these teams perform and warm up. It's good seeing what teams are the best, and shows us what we need to do to be a better team.

Marshall Islands will now take part in the FIBA U17 Oceania Development Camp taking place over the next two days.

The remaining tournament games can be watched live and free here. Dont forget to check out the event website for the latest scores, news and updates from your team here.

FIBA

Link:

Marshall Islands make history with first ever FIBA bronze medal ... - FIBA

Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZSE:OCA) Delivered A Better ROE Than The Industry, Here’s Why – Simply Wall St

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

With 99.2% ROE in the last year, Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZSE:OCA) appeared more efficient when we look at the industry average of 15.29% ROE. However, we must not ignore the role of leverage, which artificially inflates an ROE, making a poor performance look outstanding. See our latest analysis for OCA

ROE ratio basically calculates the net income as a percentage of total capital committed by shareholders, namely shareholders equity.Any ROE north of 20%, implying 20 cents return on every dollar invested, is favourable for any investor. But investors seek multiple assets to diversify risk and an industry-specific comparison makes more sense to achieve the goal of choosing the best among a given lot.

Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity

For a company to create value for its shareholders, it must generate an ROE higher than the cost of equity. Unlike debt-holders, there is no predefined return for equity investors. However, an expected return to account for market risk can be arrived at using the Capital Asset Pricing Model. For OCA, it stands at 8.52% versus its ROE of 99.2%.

Oceania Healthcare (NZSE:OCA) Last Perf Jul 14th 17

When we break down ROE using a very popular method called Dupont Formula, it unfolds into three key ratios which are responsible for a companys profitability: net profit margin, asset turnover, and financial leverage. While higher margin and asset turnover indicate improved efficiency, investors should be cautious about the impact of increased leverage.

ROE = annual net profit shareholders equity

ROE = (annual net profit sales) (sales assets) (assets shareholders equity)

ROE = profit margin asset turnover financial leverage

Among the ratios affecting ROE, the profit margin is the most important as it highlights the operational efficiency of a company. To a potential investor, the ideal scenario would be profit increasing at a higher rate than the revenue.The asset turnover for a capital intensive industry such as bricks-and-mortar retail would be substantially lower than the e-commerce retail industry. A comparison with the industry can be drawn through ROA, which represents earnings as a percentage of assets. Oceania Healthcares ROA stood at 0.5% in the past year, compared to the industrys 6.25%.

Oceania Healthcare (NZSE:OCA) Historical Debt Jul 14th 17

The impact of leverage on ROE is reflected in a companys debt-equity profile. Rapidly rising debt compared to equity, while profit margin and asset turnover underperform, raises a red flag on the ROE. Its important as a company can inflate its ROE by consistently increasing debt despite weak operating performance. OCAs debt to equity ratio currently stands at 3.45. Investors should be cautious about any sharp change in this ratio, more so if its due to increasing debt.

While ROE can be calculated through a very simple calculation, investors should look at various ratios by breaking it down and how each of them affects the return to understand the strengths and weakness of a company. Its one of the few ratios which stitches together performance metrics from the income statement and the balance sheet. What are the analysts projection of Oceania Healthcares ROE in three years? I recommend you see our latest FREE analysis report to find out!

If you are not interested in OCA anymore, you can use our free platform to see my list of stocks with Return on Equity over 20%.

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Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZSE:OCA) Delivered A Better ROE Than The Industry, Here's Why - Simply Wall St

89-Year-Old Woman Airlifted From Oceania Insignia – Travel Agent

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

The Coast Guard airlifted an 89-year-old woman from Oceania Cruises Insignia Saturday evening, the CT Post reports. At the time the ship was 80 miles southeast of Cape Lookout, North Carolina.

According to The Carteret County News-Times, the woman was experiencing symptoms characteristic of a heart attack. The captain of the Insignia notified Coast Guard authorities in Portsmouth, and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was launched from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, NC, arriving at the ship at approximately 6:15 p.m. The helicopter crew then hoisted the woman from the ship and flew her to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, VA, accompanied by the cruise ships nurse. The woman arrived at the hospital at approximately 8 p.m.

The cooperation between the crew of the Insignia and our watchstanders ensured that the Coast Guard was informed of a life-threatening situation aboard, Lt. j.g. Dan Dunn, watchstander at the 5th District Command Center, told CBS North Carolina. The crew helped the aircrew transport this woman to the appropriate medical facility in a timely manner.

The Insignia is a 700-passenger luxury cruise ship from Oceania Cruises. It most recently underwent a dry dock in 2014. The $50 million, two-year project added many of the interior design elements from the newer Marina and Riviera to the ship, adding new furnishings and dcor to all public rooms, suites and staterooms. Insignia also added the Baristas coffee bar, a cook-to-order grill at Terrace Caf, and a new outdoor recreation area on the Sports Deck.

Cruise Ship Tour Part 2: Top Suites on Oceania Cruises' Sirena

Travel Agents Can Win a Spot on U by Uniworlds Preview Sailing

New Culinary Experiences Aboard Crystal Bach

Execs Talk Ritz-Carlton, New Ships and Latest Luxury Cruise News

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89-Year-Old Woman Airlifted From Oceania Insignia - Travel Agent

Seychelles reports find of possible plane debris, tells Malaysia – Eyewitness News

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Seychelles reports find of possible plane debris, tells Malaysia

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said scientists researching birds and turtles had found the debris washed up on Farqhar.

Malaysians take part in a candle-light vigil to mark the one-month anniversary of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight. Picture: AFP.

VICTORIA Seychelles reported on Thursday the discovery of two pieces of debris that seemed to be from an aircraft and said it had notified Malaysia, whose Flight MH370 vanished in 2014 with 239 people aboard.

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said scientists researching birds and turtles had found the debris washed up on Farqhar, one of the islands that make up the tropical Indian Ocean nation.

The direction of flow of the sea currents make it likely that the (debris) came from the general direction where other parts (of MH370) have been found in Indian Ocean countries, a senior SCAA official who asked not to be named told Reuters.

Michael Payet, a spokesman for the state agency that manages all Seychelles islands, said the largest of the two bits of debris was about 120 cm long and 30 cm (one foot) wide and appeared to be made of aluminium and carbon fibre.

It could be part of an engine cover, he said.

The SCAA was in contact with Malaysian authorities, who have shown an interest, and with whom we expect to work closely, the aviation authority said in a statement.

Few traces of the Boeing 777 airliner have turned up over more than three years of searching since it disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew aboard soon after take-off from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, bound for Beijing.

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#CSIMonth: Why the Seychelles’ ban on large hotel developments is a good thing – Bizcommunity.com

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Bigger, better, taller and more expensive is becoming less of a trend as top tourism destinations globally are shifting focus to the preservation and conservation of their tourism heritage and natural resources.

In many ways, the Seychelles has long since been at the forefront in protecting its environment against the possible adverse effects that can come as a result of tourism. Despite its small size, the island destination has actively been working to manage its tourism development with due regards to the environment. From reducing, reusing and the recycling of waste materials to actively promoting sustainable living to both residents and visitors, Seychelles Government and Environmental NGOs are doing its share to protect the environment.

Probably one of the most fascinating developments, although not directly linked to conservation, is that, apart from 18 pre-approved hotel developments, the Seychelles government has banned large hotel developments indefinitely in what has been coined the moratorium on large hotel developments.

While the idea behind the moratorium was not to halt the development of all projects completely, it was implemented to encourage the construction of smaller locally owned resorts, reflecting Seychelles Creole architecture and culture. Perhaps a better understanding of this is that the Seychellois have a monopoly on hotels and resorts of up to 15 rooms or villas with this segment strictly reserved for local investors into the hospitality industry. Thus, putting the business back in Seychellois hands.

However, with more than half of the Seychelles land area and also a large section of the ocean surrounding the islands set aside for conservation, the moratorium has also proven to be instrumental in preserving the natural veracity of many of the untouched and natural areas and resources the Seychelles has to offer.

Despite growing tourism numbers, the moratorium also hinders the possibility that the Seychelles will become and overdeveloped mass tourism destination, leaving future visitors with an authentic and true island destination.

Although the hotel project was initially part of the 18 new tourism establishments excluded from the moratorium on the construction of large hotels, the Citizens Initiative took every effort to ensure public concern was raised on the project.

An earlier biodiversity assessment of the Grand Police showed that this specific location is considered an international key biodiversity area (KBA). It is flanked by two other key diversity areas on the hills of the Collines du Sud which are currently being merged. It is also a freshwater wetland and home to two species of endemic, critically endangered and nationally protected terrapins Torti Soupap as well as being a potential foraging area for sheath tail bats.

The group launched a comprehensive campaign on social media to gather public opinion to strengthen its cause and also organised a march and launched a petition, whereby over 7,500 signatures were acquired and submitted to the head of state. After meeting with Seychelles President Danny Faure, the acquired evidence and petition was submitted to cabinet ministers who agreed that steps are taken to have the section of land returned to the government and be declared a protected area.

‘When corals die off, we die off’ – CNN

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Thanks to climate change, the ocean is no longer a friend of Seychelles. But can its reefs offer this embattled nation a lifeline?

The meteorological event, a combination of ocean heat redistribution and wind reversal in the Pacific, occurs approximately every two to seven years and has far-reaching consequences. The last El Nino in 2016 was similarly dreadful, reducing coral coverage on Seychelles' reefs from 50% to 5%, say local researchers.

El Nino is a phenomenon: a devastating, uncontrollable exception to the norm. With carefully managed conservation, Seychelles can survive its wild fluctuations. But not if global warming continues. As baseline temperatures creep up, the ecosystem loses its ability to recover. Eventually El Nino could prove terminal.

"People that don't believe in climate change, maybe they need to come to the Seychelles," says Lisa Laporte Booyse, who runs a guesthouse on the southeast tip of Mahe, the largest island in the chain.

"We can show them photos of things that were very different before ... coastal erosion. We can see flooding that we never experienced, the higher temperatures that we've never experienced before. The season(al) changes that have had an effect."

"Before, we literally could tell you the day that our rainy season would start. Now, we have droughts that we never experienced before."

Bleached coral close to the coast. Coral coverage dropped from 50% to 5% on reefs in 2016.

So much of the affairs on land are dictated by the health of the biosphere in the water.

When it comes to coastal erosion, reefs are key, acting as a wave breaker protecting the shoreline, explains Savi Leblond, project leader at the Cerf Island Conservation Program, 2.5 miles off the coast of Mahe. Without strong reefs, the land is at the mercy of the ocean. At present, they are delicately poised.

"Our reefs here have been under several threats -- natural and anthropogenic," Leblond says.

Sea surface temperature rises cause "stress" to corals, which release an algae zooxanthellae, which makes up "90% of its food source, as well as its color." The result is bleaching and depleted nourishment. Bleaching is reversible, but if waters remain too warm for too long, coral starves and dies.

A turtle swims among bleached coral in Seychelles.

Either of these eventualities would be a catastrophe for Seychelles' biosphere -- above and below water.

"When corals die off, unfortunately we die off," surmises Leblond. "Everything relies on coral reefs."

"It was the fishermen who said it's not like it was before," recalls Booyse.

Seychellois look to the sea for sustenance; they're custodians of over 500,000 square miles of ocean, and 15% of the population are engaged in fishing and fishing-related activities. But it's already proving harder for fisherman like Augustin Desaubin and others to eek out a living.

As a boy Desaubin remembers "the corals were beautiful; plenty of coral inside the reef, plenty of fish," he adds. "Now we can see only seaweed."

"When I was young, octopus was abundant. I (would) dive for about one hour, you'd have five or six octopus and go home." Now approaching 50, Desaubin says there are days when he returns empty-handed.

"Corals cover less than 0.1% of the world's surface area but they house over 25% of the world's biodiversity," Leblond explains.

"We, the People of Seychelles, grateful to Almighty God that we inhabit one of the most beautiful countries in the world; ever mindful of the uniqueness and fragility of Seychelles... declar(e) our unswaying commitment... (to) help preserve a safe, healthy and functioning environment for ourselves and for posterity."

Alongside government initiatives, citizens are taking action.

"We grow corals in a nursery and use these nursery-grown corals to rehabilitate the reef," explains marine scientist Jude Bijoux. Due to climate change, only corals most resilient to warm temperatures are selected, he adds.

The time-consuming process involves transferring coral fragments from one of five artificial reefs to rope lines, then to substrate or natural rock on the sea floor. It's a six to 12-month effort requiring epoxy resin and regular rope cleaning with a toothbrush.

"It's a bit weird," says Leblond, but their methods give coral "the best chance they have."

Rope-grown corals are tended to as part of reef rehabilitation.

Inspired by initiatives on Cerf, Booyse started the Anse Forbans Community Conservation Program, a group of neighbors setting up a coral nursery of their own.

"(It) won't be an immediate fix," Booyse says. "We're looking at a five-year lifespan to get the corals healthy, growing again and plant them back."

Even among one of the greenest societies in the world, ownership and responsibility lie at the heart of Booyse's motives. "My own generation, and generations before, have made a big impact on the environment," she says. "I have to try and lead and make a difference."

"When you're fighting the cause you've just got to go and keep going."

Seychellois know that in the fight against climate change, no half-measures will do. Their livelihoods and homes depend on it.

'When corals die off, we die off' - CNN

Seychelles named top island destination in Africa & Middle East – eTurboNews

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Seychelles has been named the top island destination in Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisures 2017 Worlds Best Awards. Its the second year in a row that Seychelles is rated in the top spot in this category by Travel + Leisure.

Results of the 22nd travel + leisures worlds best awards were revealed on Tuesday 11th July. This is based on an annual survey, which allows readers of the New York-based travel magazine to rate their travel experiences around the globe. Readers get to share their opinions on top hotels, islands, cities, airlines, cruise lines, spas, among others.

The best islands by region are rated on a number of characteristics including their natural attractions, beaches, activities & sights, restaurants, food, people & friendliness and value. Their romantic appeal also feature as an optional criteria. For each characteristic, respondents are asked to give a rating based on a five-point scale of excellence.

Boasting lush tropical vegetation, powder-white beaches and clear turquoise waters, Seychelles a 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean came out on top of the readers list when it comes to the Africa & Middle East region. Mauritius has been voted the second-best island destination and Madagascar is third.

Announcing Seychelles number 1 position, Travel + Leisure quoted one readers description of the islands as saying: It is like you are in the Garden of Eden.

Commenting on the award, the Seychelles Tourism Boards Regional Director for Africa & the Americas, David Germain said: Achieving the distinction of Top Island in Africa and the Middle East for the second year in a row is a tremendous honor for the Seychelles, recognizing that the region has much to offer in terms of world-class island experiences.

Mr. Germain noted that that the Seychelles Tourism Board continues to build a solid trade relations platform with the USA and Canadian outbound tour operators, travel agents and other trade partners in North America. He said that winning the award for a second consecutive year, is evidence that the STBs marketing strategy in North America is working.

The Award helps to garner recognition, and provides a significant amount of visibility for our islands in North America and the region. The STB will continue to share and present the culture and tourism attributes of Seychelles to both the trade and consumers in the various North American cities, with the aim of increasing tourists arrival to Seychelles from this part of the world, said Mr. Germain.

Visitor arrivals from the Americas to the Seychelles has increased by 69 percent from January to June.

Mr. Germain will be receiving the award for Seychelles, at a ceremony which will bring all winners together in New York City on July 26. The award ceremony will be hosted by the Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure, Nathan Lump.

Commenting on the choices of the readers this year, Mr. Lump said: Whats clear to me this year is how much they are drawn to experiences that arent just enjoyable but provide something richer cultural immersion, mental and physical well-being, a true sense of adventure.

Its not easy to satisfy this group, but the destinations, hotels and companies that are doing it know that todays traveler cares about a lot more than creature comforts, he added.

Seychelles named top island destination in Africa & Middle East - eTurboNews

Greater destination awareness as Seychelles draws extensive exposure on South African TV – eTurboNews

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Seychelles has been enjoying unprecedented exposure on South African TV in the last three months. Besides the much publicized 7th season of Tropika Islands of Treasure filmed in Seychelles and aired on SABC 3 for 12 consecutive weeks the island destination is being featured in several other shows.

Dan Nicoll, the host of a celebrity talk show aired on SuperSport 1, made his debut with a rod in the waters of Alphonse in early June, showcasing the unique fly fishing adventure offered on the island by experienced fisherman Keith Rose-Innes and his team.

The Dan Nicoll Show, which hosts a range of sports and lifestyle celebrities from South Africa and beyond showcased a feature entitled Fishing Paradise in Seychelles which portrayed Alphonse not only as a leisure-oriented island, but also one which offers a range of activities to its guests. Besides fly-fishing, Alphonse one of the outlying islands of the Seychelles archipelago boasting kilometers of pristine tropical shorelines, lagoons and sea flats also offers diving, snorkeling, pedal skis, pedal boats and windsurfing.

After a week of fishing in both deep waters and on the flats, Nicoll described his first fly fishing experience as one he would never forget, adding that it has certainly given me plenty of reasons to come back.

Another TV personality, Gerrie Pretorius also visited the Seychelles for his Afrikaans Show, Leef Jou Reis (Live Your Journey).

He was able to explore the underwater world of the Seychelles while scuba diving and snorkeling at Le Meridien Fishermans Cove.

Once again, Seychelles came across as one of the most desirable destinations, offering some of the best snorkeling sites in the Indian Ocean. The tropical climate all-year round and unspoiled nature is something which has been proven to appeal to any potential visitor.

Its not only the Seychelles natural beauty that has caught the attention of South African media, as the islands conservation efforts have also been recognized. The 50/50 environmental program me on SABC 2 has so far broadcasted two episodes on Seychelles.

The first episode earlier in June featured the country as a pioneer in the field of conservation and how it is implementing the nationwide ban on common plastic items. The ban officially went into effect on 1st of July, meaning people will have to use replace their plastic bags, plates, or Styrofoam takeaway boxes with more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Government agencies are being joined by several non-governmental organizations to spearhead the campaign to see a more sustainable Seychelles.

Episode 12 aired on the last Sunday of June showcased how conservationists in Seychelles are utilizing their green fingers to save ocean reefs. The presenter Bertus Louw joined staff of Nature Seychelles for some underwater coral gardening.

Nature Seychelles a local non-governmental organization has developed a successful coral gardening technique which is helping to restore coral reefs affected by bleaching events in the Seychelles waters.

Both episodes have commended Seychelles for its excellent efforts in conservation.

It is to be noted that the exposure on South African TV falls in line with the STBs drive to reach South African consumers on a much broader scale. All programs featuring Seychelles had the added benefit of being broadcast during prime-time slots in the evenings, which means they reached maximum viewers.

The Tropika series is already believed to have won Seychelles over 10 million Rand-worth of exposure on the South African market.

Commenting on the ongoing and extensive coverage of the islands on national TV in South Africa, the Director of the Seychelles Tourism Boards office in South Africa, Lena Hoareau said that Seychelles was enjoying great mileage from the ongoing exposure.

We have intensified our marketing activities this year for both trade and consumer, which means that while we are equipping the trade with more knowledge on the destination through training and workshops, which will help them turn over more sales to Seychelles, South African consumers are also gaining a better understanding and insight into the destination through the awareness created by the different TV programs, she said.

Mrs. Hoareau added that there has been a notable increase in inquiries about the Seychelles, which serves as proof that these programs are helping to boost the destinations profile on the market.

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Greater destination awareness as Seychelles draws extensive exposure on South African TV - eTurboNews

Bahamas plays host to IT conference – Magnetic Media (press release)

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Bahamas, July 13th 2017: The erasure of physical banks from some islands in The Bahamas was just one of the many points raised at the 17th International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-17). Bahamasplayed host to the conference when it officially opened at Atlantis, Paradise Island, on Wednesday to the theme, Living in a World of Digital Opportunities.

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, expanding the benefits of modern communication technologies to communities in an efficient, safe, affordable manner, and further enabling the inter-connectivity that defines modern life.

The matter of physical banks was raised as an IT best practice that could have an impact on the development of The Bahamas, when ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, and, Chairman of URCA, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Randol Dorsett, collectively raised the matter as a vital point, referring to the closure of bank branches on the Family Islands. The men also remarked on the importance of cyber safety in light of the positioning of The Bahamas for inter-Caribbean reach, and the overall social and financial fabric of the country.

The conference aims at increasing cyber-connectivity world-wide done safely and efficiently while enhancing economic and social development, as well as to properly navigate and manage artificial intelligence.

Brahima Sanou, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau Director declared Bahamas as the centre of the world for three days, as discussions centred around the critical importance of telecommunications capability in todays world. The Bahamas was hailed to be one of the main countries other than the United States responsible for boosting ITU.

#MagneticMediaNews

#ClosureOfBanksConcernForIT

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Bahamas plays host to IT conference - Magnetic Media (press release)

Bahamas suffers 61-56 loss to Mexico in opener | The Tribune – Bahamas Tribune

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

The Bahamas in action against Mexico. Photo: 10thYearSeniors

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit but their rally fell short, ultimately undone by a turnover problem that plagued them all game yesterday in the FIBA Centrobasket.

Leashja Grant led the Bahamas with a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds but the team lost the tournament opener 61-56 to Mexico at the UVI Arena in St Thomas, in United States Virgin Islands. Phylicia Kelly and Shalonda Neely each finished with six points while Valarie Nesbitt added six. Daniela Prado led Mexico with 14 points, Maria Orozco, Jacqueline Luna and Alexis Castro each finished with 10 and Brisa Silva scored eight.

The Bahamas entered the fourth trailing by seven, but Mexico would open with consecutive field goals to take a 52-41 lead. Pardos wing three maintained the 12-point lead 55-43 before the Bahamas went on a run. Grant sparked the run with a pair of free throws followed by layups from Neely and Kelly.

Grant would convert a three-point play on the next possession to cap a 9-0 run and trim the deficit 55-52 with 2:30 left to play. After the teams traded scores, the Bahamas had an opportunity to pull within one, or tie with a three, but turned the ball over with just over one minute left to play.

Mexico would seal the game at the free throw line and on the offensive boards down the stretch.

Outside of Grants scoring, the Bahamas struggled to find points and shot just 34 per cent from the field without making a single field goal from three-point range.

Nesbitt got the scoring started for the Bahamas with a floater, but Mexico scored nine unanswered, including one play where they stole an inbounds pass and finished with a three-pointer. Mexico went ahead by double digits on a Prado layup for a 14-3 lead with just under five minutes left to play in the quarter. They took a 23-10 lead after the first.

They were definitely nervous, had jitters and, because of it, we dug ourselves in a deep hole, said head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. We still have to find ways to rely on our defence. We lost our identity and tried to be an offensive team, but we just dont have those types of players right now so we have to play better defence and grow up. We have not been together long so as I figure them out and figure out how to get the best out of them, Ill do so but the attitude and effort, they have to bring it.

After trailing by as much as 17, the Bahamas trimmed the deficit to just 10 headed into the half. Mexico struggled through a drought which lasted nearly five minutes, and Neelys hook shot trimmed the deficit to six (30-24).

Castro finally broke the drought with a jumper at the top of the key to give Mexico a 32-24 lead at the half. Fourteen of Mexicos made baskets in the first half came off 12 assists. They finished with 21.

Like the first half, Nesbitt opened the second with a driving layup to again cut the lead to six. On one possession the Bahamas had six second-chance opportunities from steals and offensive rebounds and Grant was finally able to corral a loose ball and finish with a layup to bring the team within five (41-36).

Coach Yo picked us up at halftime. All of our heads were down, which they shouldnt have been. She was able to pick us up and give us a boost, Grant said, Yes we fell short, but we cant take that into the next game. Jamaica will be a brand new day, brand new team, we just have to execute and play Bahamas basketball.

Round robin group play continues today as the Bahamas faces Jamaica at 3 pm local time.

The tournament features the national teams from the Bahamas, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and will be broadcasted live on FIBAs official YouTube channel.

After the 5-day tournament, the top three teams will qualify to the FIBA Womens AmeriCup 2017, to be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 6-13.

The last edition of the Womens Centrobasket Championship was played in Monterrey, Mexico, where Cuba captured the title with a perfect 5-0 record.

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Bahamas suffers 61-56 loss to Mexico in opener | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune

Bahamas Ministry of Finance responds to Moody’s review – Magnetic Media (press release)

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Bahamas, July 13th 2017: Not unexpected, but ready to address the fiscal situation, the attitude in which the Ministry of Finance is treating Moodys review of the economy. In a statement, the ministry says it is moving expeditiously to address the fiscal situation. The ministry outlined plans that include fiscal responsibility legislation, procurement regulations, and public expenditure review as some policies it intends to roll out.

Describing the review as an unfortunate development, the ministry says Governments efforts to strengthen revenue administration are receiving renewed focus, especially in the areas of real property taxes, customs, VAT and Business License administration and enforcement. However, it adds this is dependent on Governments plan to introduce a Revenue Administration Bill, as a way of dealing with tax delinquencies.

Other solutions to tackling the downgrade include moving quickly to improve the ease of doing business in The Bahamas, addressing structural impediments to growth and attracting foreign direct investment.

Moodys review was prompted after governments budget statement, and a further increase in debt through planned borrowing. The credit rating agency has called for more policies to be put in place if The Bahamas is to prevent the further downgrade.

#MagneticMediaNews

#MinistryofFinanceRespondsToMoodys

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Bahamas Ministry of Finance responds to Moody's review - Magnetic Media (press release)

16 things you didn’t know about The Bahamas, a land of sinkholes and swimming pigs – Telegraph.co.uk

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

The Bahamas is celebrating 44 years of independence from the UK. Here are a few quirky facts about these fascinating islands.

Many people talk about The Ukraine, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Maldives and The Netherlands. These are all wrong. Only two nations officially start with The. The Bahamas is one (the name means shallow water, FYI). Do you know the other?

Big Major Cay or Pig Beach is renowned for its porcine residents, who spend their time wallowing in the shallows. The porkers are victims of their own cuteness, however. Earlier this year several were found dead, with tourists blamed for overfeeding them.

Telegraph Travel spoke to the astronaut Chris Hadfield, best known for his Bowie rendition on the ISS, in January, and asked him which Earthly place looked most beautiful from his lofty orbit. The Bahamas are gorgeous, he replied. The deep trench in the ocean floor called the Tongue of the Ocean, which comes between the islands, is the most beautiful deep indigo colour.

The Bahamas has a weight problem even more so than the US. Almost 35 per cent of the adult population are considered obese, according to the CIA's World Factbook. For the US the figure is 33 per cent (in Britain its 27 per cent). Only 12 places are fatter, with American Samoa taking the biscuit (so to speak) on a whopping 74.6 per cent.

Thanks to sprinters like Pauline Davis-Thompson, Tonique Williams-Darling and Shaunae Miller, The Bahamas has won 14 Olympic medals. That works out at 33.9 per million residents only Finland, Sweden and Hungary have a better per capita strike rate.

OK, so The Bahamas might only have around 10 branches. But with a population of 390,000, that works out at more than 26 per million residents. Only three countries, the US, Canada and Monaco, have more Starbucks per capita.

The aquarium at the garish Atlantis Paradise Island resort encompasses 14 lagoons, eight million gallons of water and more than 50,000 aquatic animals from 250 species. Theres even a water slide that runs through the middle of it.

The Bahamas needs you. Almost 20 per cent of its GDP comes from tourism, a higher percentage than all but six places (Macau, Maldives, British Virgin Islands, Aruba, Seychelles and Anguilla). In fact, the country attracts 3.7 overseas visitors each year for every resident, making it one of 51 nations where tourists outnumber locals.

And its named, rather unimaginatively, Pink Sands. Noelle Nicolls, our expert on The Bahamas, says: Some visitors suffer disappointment when they realise the beach is not entirely pink as some doctored photos suggest. A unique mix of coral, broken shells, miniature rocks and calcium carbonate speckles the sand with pink fragments.

Dean's Blue Hole, off Long Island, is the second deepest salt water sinkhole on Earth, plunging 202 metres. Only Dragon Hole, in the South China Sea, with a depth of 300.89 metres, can top it.

The Bahamas is the third most expensive country in the world to live, according to Numbeo's annual cost of living survey, which takes into account the price of around 50 items, including a wide variety of accommodation, food and drink from both supermarkets and restaurants, clothing, taxi fares, leisure activities, utility, internet and mobile phone bills. Only Bermuda and Switzerland are costlier.

Its not just piggies. Noelle Nicolls explains: Sandy Cay (also known as White Cay) is an uninhabited island at the southern tip of the Exuma chain. Easily accessible from Long Island, it's a beautiful sanctuary for critically endangered White Cay Rock Iguanas. When you arrive, the iguanas come crawling out of the native bush to greet you on the beach or along the rocky part of the shoreline. They are harmless and will run away if you step towards them too suddenly.

Pirates, privateers and buccaneers infested the area from the early 1600s to the 1700s, wrote Ben Fogle for The Telegraph in 2015. The shallow waters provided the perfect place for experienced pirates to lure heavily laden merchant ships and Spanish galleons on to the reefs, where they were wrecked and relieved of their cargos.

The most famous pirate was Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, who was appointed magistrate of the self-declared Pirates Republic, a stronghold in Nassau which brought 11 years of havoc to the region.

Learn more at the Pirates of Nassau Museum or on an Islandz Rum Tour.

Thunderball Grotto is an accessible underwater cave that sits in the middle of a little island (probably better categorised as a big rock) in The Exumas, says Noelle Nicolls. It gets its name from the James Bond film Thunderball, which used the cave for underwater battle scenes. When you drop anchor, the entrance to the cave is not readily visible as most of it is underwater. Getting in is intimidating, but once you do, you can swim and breathe on the surface of the water as you snorkel around the hollowed-out chamber.

You cant drive on the Bimini Road, as its underwater and is actually a rock formation. Some believe it to be part of the legendary lost city of Atlantis. They are wrong. It is just a rock formation.

A sombre note to finish on. The Bahamas is one of 58 countries that still have the death penalty. It is, however, considered abolitionist in practice, with the last execution taking place in 2000 (unlike Iran, for example, where more than 977 took place in 2015).

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16 things you didn't know about The Bahamas, a land of sinkholes and swimming pigs - Telegraph.co.uk

Bahamas National Children’s Choir performs for Toronto police … – insideTORONTO.com

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

insideTORONTO.com

Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ...
insideTORONTO.com
The Bahamas National Children's Choir put on a performance at Toronto police headquarters Thursday morning. The choir, consisting of 33 children ages seven ...
Bahamas children's choir brings sunshine, culture to Toronto ...Toronto Star

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Bahamas National Children's Choir performs for Toronto police ... - insideTORONTO.com

Top Cibc Chief Targeting Bahamas Growth Inroads – Bahamas Tribune

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

CIBC's Caribbean corporate and investment banking chief is eyeing "a lot of opportunities" for growth in the Bahamas, having helped place over $100 million in financing over the past year.

Pim Van Der Burg told Tribune Business in a recent interview that the Bahamas was "a very important business" for CIBC FirstCaribbean, ranking alongside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago as its top three regional markets.

He added that the institution, which has already been "very active" in financing key industries in the Bahamas, aimed to become the top bank in this nation for corporate clients.

"The Bahamas, given the size of the group, is a very important business for us," Mr Van Der Burg said. "We certainly have high expectations of the business.

"What I can tell you is that the Bahamas is in the top three countries in the region. It's a very substantial part, and very important market for us at CIBC for sure.

"My experience from visiting the last week is that there's a lot of opportunity, a lot of development, I think, if we as a bank can deliver good service. We are working hard to make sure we're the best bank in the Bahamas for corporate clients."

CIBC FirstCaribbean has become noticeably more active in the Bahamian capital markets, and in structuring and funding major debt transactions. Desmond Bannister, minister of works, recently confirmed it was working with another investment bank to raise $135 million for cash-strapped utility, Bahamas Power & Light (BPL).

While declining to name specific transactions, Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business that the financing raised by CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking team in the Bahamas over the past year would be "above $100 million for sure".

"We have been very active in the Bahamas in the utility space, in the oil and gas sector, and the airline industry," he said. "Without mentioning names, there are several large clients we've been involved with within the last 12 months.

"We have had substantial growth, and also have a line of transactions we're working on. We have a substantial pipeline of transactions we are working on."

CIBC FirstCaribbean's corporate and investment banking clients number 10,000, serviced across the region by a 200-strong team - of whom around 30 are based in the Bahamas.

Mr Van Der Burg praised the local team, headed by managing director, Marie Rodland-Allen, and Raymond Donaldson, and emphasised that the bank was focused on client satisfaction as opposed to specific growth targets.

Explaining that the growth would come if CIBC FirstCaribbean met client needs and expectations, he added: "We are strongly convinced that the growth rate will be determined by client satisfaction.

"Instead of focusing on growth rates, we're really focusing on our clients and making sure we take care of them. That's where we put our energies; making sure we get it right for our customers and, based on that, we believe we will get the growth the clients will allow us to have."

Mr Van Der Burg said corporate banking was typically focused on medium-sized Caribbean businesses, dealing with issues such as investment planning, succession management and financing. Investment banking is targeted at larger clients, with capital markets, initial public offering (IPO) and structured debt transactions among the products offered. Internet and electronic banking services cross both spectrums.

The CIBC corporate and investment banking chief added that while the bank was Caribbean-focused, it is also able to draw on the strength of its Toronto-based parent. All this has helped it to generate $1 billion in financings across the region over the past 12 months.

"Next to Jamaica and Trinidad, the Bahamas is the largest market," Mr Van Der Burg told Tribune Business. "We believe there's substantial opportunities on corporate banking as well as the retail banking side.

"We are really working hard to grow that business. We are investing in premises, IT, information technology and mobile banking."

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Top Cibc Chief Targeting Bahamas Growth Inroads - Bahamas Tribune

Corruption Abuses Bring Bahamas To ‘Junk’ Brink – Bahamas Tribune

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Transparency International's Bahamian representative yesterday said economic abuses "by corrupt officials" had helped bring this nation to the precipice of its second 'junk' creditworthiness downgrade.

Lemarque Campbell, Citizens for a Better Bahamas' chairman, told Tribune Business that the scourge of corruption was a major factor behind "all of the societal ills in the Bahamas".

He confirmed that Citizens for a Better Bahamas, together with Transparency International, had written to the newly-elected Minnis administration backing its anti-corruption pronouncements, and urging that it tackle freedom of information and public procurement as priorities.

"Corruption has proven to be a major contributor to all of the societal ills in the Bahamas," Mr Campbell told Tribune Business, adding that its eradication would help to reduce this nation's current $300 million-plus annual deficits.

"Now that the new government has settled in, we decided to write to them to offer international expertise in fighting corruption. We don't live in a vacuum; we are a part of a global community and the world is watching."

He tied corruption to the Bahamas' continued economic slide, and its low GDP growth, high unemployment and fiscal crises.

"As we can see, Moody's is already giving us a downgrade review," Mr Campbell wrote to this newspaper. "We have essentially had an abuse of our economy by corrupt officials for many years, through reckless spending and a lack of accountability.

"The Government now has a responsibility to guard against such abuse by implementing the necessary anti-corruption reforms. We can decrease the deficit once we tackle corruption. Additionally, as we rely so heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI), we have to remember that no credible investor would want to deal with any corrupt government.

"We ought to have a strategic action plan in place if we are serious about tackling corruption in the Bahamas. The Government needs to go after the low hanging fruit. For instance, we need to hear more about advancements being made on strengthening and implementing the Freedom of Information Act."

K P Turnquest, the minister of finance, last week told Tribune Business that anti-corruption laws, together with a Fiscal Responsibility Act, are the new government's top legislative priorities once the House of Assembly returns in September.

While the Minnis administration has talked all the right things, it now has to execute amid signs that Bahamian patience is already starting to 'wear thin' over its blaming of the former Christie government for a variety of woes.

Backing the Government's rhetoric, Transparency International and Citizens for a Better Bahamas jointly outlined "five areas for priority consideration".

They said these were "the full enactment and implementation of a strong Freedom of Information Act"; enactment of legal protections for 'whistleblowers'; the Public Disclosure Act's enforcement; political campaign finance reform; and "a fair and open public procurement system".

The letter, signed jointly by Mr Campbell and Alejandro Salas, Transparency International's regional director for the Americas, pledged their organisations' full support if the Government "heralds in an auspicious new era of transparency, accountability and integrity in governance in the Bahamas".

They wrote: "We recognise and applaud your government's commitment to deliver on your campaign promises of transparency, accountability and good governance reforms, as outlined in your recent pronouncements to introduce various anti-corruption legislation, along with an autonomous anti-corruption agency.

"We look forward to your government's prompt and ongoing development of modern and robust anti-corruption policies. To that end, we wish to extend our support to your government through our global network of research, expertise and advice on international best practices in the areas of open, transparent and accountable governance.

"We expect that your government will adopt a national action plan for good governance, which includes increased levels of citizen participation in the decision-making process."

Virginia utility agrees to install two offshore wind turbines for study – Ars Technica

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Danzig

Enlarge / An image of an offshore wind turbine, from Dong Energy.

Dong Energy

This week, Virginia utility Dominion announced that it would partner with Danish firm Dong Energy to build two offshore wind turbines as test cases for a commercial-sized installation.

Currently, the US only has one 30MW commercial offshore wind farm off Block Island in Rhode Island. Renewable energy proponentshave sought to expand offshore winds reach for years in the hope it wouldre-create the low-cost energy boom that has occurred in the US with onshore wind. The offshore resource has a lot of promiseturbines can be built bigger out at sea, so they can generate more power, and wind is generally less variable.

But building offshore wind infrastructure is still expensive; its new territory for US contractors. Few utilities have experience managing offshore wind energy. Partnering with Dong Energy will bring some expertise across the pondthe company has constructed many large offshore wind installations in Europe, and it even submitted a subsidy-free bid to German energy regulators for a new installation to go up in 2020.

This new project, called the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, will consist of just two 6MW test turbines, 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, where they cant be seen from the shore. The turbines will be built next to a 112,800-acre site leased by Dominion Energy from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The site is large enough that it could be used to build out a 2,000MW offshore wind installation someday.

But thats far in the future. In a phone conversation with Ars, Dominions communications director, David Botkins, said a lot has to happen before the utility would commit to building that much offshore wind. These first two test turbines, which wont be completed until 2020, will only generate 12MW together and will send electricity back to shore via a 34 kilovolt distribution line. Its never been done before in the mid-Atlantic United States. First weve gotta get these two turbines constructed,"Botkins said. "Then we have to take the time to see how they perform under a regimen that includes exposing them to potential hurricane-force wind and studying marine and aquatic life impact, water currents, et cetera, et cetera.

The project is not without its controversy. In 2016, Dominion reportedly let a $40 million Department of Energy (DOE) grant offer lapse, which made Governor Terry McAuliffe unhappy, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Botkins told Ars that the lapse was a purely economic decision. We had to go out for bid on two separate occasions because on the first round of bids the price came in way too high to justify moving forward. The second round was a little bit better but not much, he said. He added that he thought at that point, the DOE decided to move forward with funding Block Island.

As a result, the two test turbines, which will be 600ft tall with a 500ft rotor diameter, arent receiving any federal funding. The project is supposed to cost $300 million and will be wholly owned by the utility, which will seek to recoup the costs through rate increases. Botkins told Ars that no rate recovery proposals have been made yet.

Other Atlantic states have moved forward with offshore wind projects in recent months. New York entered a deal with Deepwater Wind, the company that built the Block Island installation, in January. That project will consist of a 90MW wind farm 30 miles southeast of Montauk, and it's set to be completed by the end of 2022 if all goes well. Massachusetts has also called for 1,600MW of offshore wind by 2027.