Keama defends title as Australia and New Zealand dominate Oceania Boxing Championships – Insidethegames.biz

Australia and New Zealand dominated the finals at the Oceania Boxing Confederation Boxing Championships in Gold Coast today, although Papua New Guineas Charles Keama defended his title.

Keama produced a fine performance in the mens flyweight gold medal match as he saw off the challenge of Australias Tyler Blizzard.

However, the host nation was not forced to wait long for success, as Sam Goodman triumphed in the mens bantamweight competition.

Goodman emerged as the victory of his gold medal clash with Vanuatus Boe Warawara, who headed in as the defending champion.

Australian success continued with Alex Winwood winning the mens light-flyweight crown, having seen off the challenge of Maxie Mangea of Papua New Guinea.

Harry Garside and Andrew Hunt added to Australias gold medal haul as they won the lightweight and welterweight titles.

Garside defeated Chad Milnes of New Zealand in the lightweight final, while Hunt beat Fijis Winston Hill in the welterweight division.

Australias Clay Waterman clinched the light-heavyweight title by beating Jarrod Banks of New Zealand, while Joseph Goodall overcame another Kiwi in Patrick Mailata to win the super-heavyweight event.

New Zealand won the remaining gold medals at the Championships, with Richard Hadlow beating Naurus Colan Caleb in the light-welterweight gold medal match.

His success was followed by Ryan Scaife winning the mens middleweight title against Samoas Henry Tyrell.

David Nyika then triumphed in the heavyweight gold medal bout, beating Jason Whateley of Australia to claim the title.

The event was the last of the five Continental Championships that serve as direct qualification routes to the International Boxing Association's World Boxing Championships, due to be held in the German city of Hamburg between August 25 and September 2.

The two finalists in each of the 10 weight categories secured their places in Hamburg.

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Keama defends title as Australia and New Zealand dominate Oceania Boxing Championships - Insidethegames.biz

Ports of Auckland: Best Seaport in Oceania 2017 | Scoop News – Scoop.co.nz (press release)

Friday, 30 June 2017, 1:41 pm Press Release: Ports of Auckland

Ports of Auckland: Best Seaport in Oceania 2017

Ports of Auckland has beaten out competitors from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to be crowned Best Seaport in Oceania for the second year running.

The port was voted into the finals by customers and industry peers at the Asia Cargo News Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) Awards; the only New Zealand port to be selected as a finalist amongst three Australian ports (Port of Melbourne, Port of Brisbane and Sydney Ports).

I am so proud to accept the award as the best port in our region on behalf of our team. It is a fantastic achievement for Ports of Auckland and testament to the hard-working people that keep our port running 24/7. We have a world-class group of people working here, doing their best for our customers and Aucklanders said Ports of Auckland Chief Executive Tony Gibson.

The awards recognise leading air and shipping lines, air and sea ports, logistics providers and other industry professionals. Ports of Auckland was the first recipient of the Best Seaport in Oceania award when the category was introduced in 2016, and the only recipient in this category to date.

This year, thousands of Asia Cargo News readers cast votes across award categories such as Best Seaport, Best Container Terminal and Best Airport. Asia Cargo News reported votes in the thousands a record number of votes were submitted this year.

ENDS

NOTES: Ports of Auckland Ltd is the port for New Zealands largest city. It has been playing a vital role in the Auckland economy since 1840, delivering things Aucklanders and New Zealanders need and enjoy. It is part of the special character of Auckland. Voted best port in Oceania 2016 and 2017 by our customers, we operate the most efficient container port in Australasia. We are New Zealands hub port for car and container imports, handling 248,000 cars and light commercial vehicles and over 900,000 TEU (1 TEU = 1 twenty-foot container) in the 2015/16 financial year. We are New Zealands cruise hub, handling around 100 cruise ships annually, each worth about $1.5m to the local economy. We handle 1.8 million tonnes of dry bulk cargo to support the Auckland and upper North Island building agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Ports of Auckland is 100%-owned by Auckland Council Investments Ltd and serves Aucklands growth. In the 2015/16 financial year its $54.3 million dividend to the city was worth the equivalent of 4.4% of the average Auckland residential rates bill, or $103 per household. Working for Aucklanders and supporting Aucklands growth, today and tomorrow.

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Ports of Auckland: Best Seaport in Oceania 2017 | Scoop News - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

Bahamas wins new business aviation award – Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, June 29, 2017 Nassau The Bahamas was presented the 2016 Caribbean Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Award for Outstanding Country Promotion, the first award of its kind for the region.

The Sapphire Pegasus Award is a symbol of gratitude for the superb performance in an industry segment where mediocrity is unacceptable. The award was introduced to the region during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St Maarten June 13-15.

Based on expert advice and the long record of outstanding performance, we decided thatThe Bahamas should be awarded for the excellent promotion of the Caribbean over a longer period of time in the business aviation industry, said Antonia Lukacinova, founder of the Sapphire Pegasus Awards.

It is not just about the presence and presentations at international conferences and exhibitions, but also about the available online information and hardcopy documentation. The explanations are so well done and comprehensive that they hardly leave an opening for questions. We believe that this needs to find international recognition and honoring.

Director General in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Joy Jibrilu was presented with the award on Tuesday, June 13 during the Caribbean Aviation Meetup in St. Maarten. She also delivered the keynote address at the aviation conference.

I am excited and thrilled by the announcement that The Bahamas has won the award for our outstanding promotion in business aviation. We at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation work tirelessly to create new strategic partners in key markets across the world to increase airlift and new routes to the country. That is our goal. We also go above and beyond to promote our destination and position ourselves as the best in the region. As a team, we have accomplished many mammoth tasks and this award is vindication of that hard work. Thank you, Mrs. Jibrilu said.

The Sapphire Pegasus Awards are a unique series of international business aviation awards and are given for the outstanding performance by companies or individuals in the business aviation sector.

The finalists are nominated by companies and individuals in the business aviation sector. The Sapphire Pegasus Awards started out by recognizing the outstanding performance of companies, teams and business individuals from the EMEA region and Russia. This is the first year that four awards are being given out for excellence in the Caribbean.

Press Release: BIS

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Bahamas wins new business aviation award - Magnetic Media (press release)

Bahamas Public Forecast – Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, June 29, 2017 Nassau THIS IS A PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THURSDAY 29THJUNE 2017 ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 12PM

GENERAL SITUATION:A SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE WEST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY DISSIPATES NEAR CENTRAL FLORIDA. MEANWHILE LARGE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BRISK WINDS OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS AND BEACHGOERS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SE BAHAMAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND DANGEROUS SURF ALONG EASTERN SHORELINES.

NORTHWEST BAHAMAS

WEATHER:VARIABLE CLOUDS, HOT AND HUMID WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TODAY, SOME LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES. PARTLY CLOUDY AND WARM TONIGHT WITH THE CHANCE OF A PASSING SHOWER OR TWO.

ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.

WINDS:EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS, FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.

SEAS:2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.

CENTRAL ANDSOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

WEATHER:PARTLY SUNNY, HOT AND BREEZY WITH PASSING SHOWERS OR A POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM LIKELY TODAY. FEW CLOUDS AND BREEZY TONIGHT WITH THE CHANCE OF ONE OR TWO PASSING SHOWERS.

ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION CONTINUES FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

WINDS:EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.

SEAS:4 TO 7 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.

DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE91 F33 C

OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE77 F25 C

SUNSET: 8:03 PMTHUSUNRISE: 8:04 AMFRI

MOONRISE: 12:03 PM THU MOONSET: 1:18 AM FRI

HIGH TIDE: 1:10 PM THU 1:27 AMFRI

LOW TIDE: 7:19 PMTHU7:56 AMFRI

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY: PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT AND HUMID WITH FEW PASSING SHOWERS OR POSSIBLE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.

FORECASTER: G. GREENE /C.G

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Bahamas Public Forecast - Magnetic Media (press release)

Bahamas hosts Public Relations Society of America Conference – South Florida Caribbean News

NASSAU, Bahamas: Seventy-five public relations professionals and their guests visited Nassau during this years Public Relations Society of Americas (PRSA) Sunshine District Conference held on June 23 26.

Every year the PRSA holds a conference in different districts, this year it was organized by North Florida. The organizers of this years conference wanted to plan something more exciting and took the conference onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise that stopped at Coco Cay and Nassau.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism hosted the group for a full day of activities in Nassau and the guests were treated to an authentic taste of The Bahamas. Jeanie Gibson, General Manager of Global Communications, said the goal is to encourage the cruise visitors to come back and experience even more of the destination.

We felt this would be a great opportunity to show these public relations executives, a taste of The Bahamas so that we can convert them from cruisers into stopover visitors. PRSA has a number of chapters with over 200,000 professionals. Their annual conference is normally in the United States but perhaps we can bring one of their other conferences down here such as the travel and tourism conference which hosts some 300 public relations and tourism professionals, she said.

Bryan Campbell, Chairman of the 2017 PRSA Sunshine District Conference, said the relationship between The Bahamas and South Florida made it an easy decision to visit.

The great relationships that South Florida districts and Miami have with The Bahamas just made it kind of a natural idea for us to come to The Bahamas, enjoy some time on the cruise and enjoy some time out here in beautiful Nassau. Being able to hear more of the history and understand more about the country, is allowing our people to have a better time while theyre here and working with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism on being able to gibe this information to our members is great, Campbell said.

The PR professionals were treated to a mini-tour of Nassau stopping at Parliament Square, Paradise Island and Smugglers Restaurant where they watched a conch salad demonstration while getting to try the delicious delicacy, conch fritters and uniquely Bahamian beverages.

Bonnie Upright, Co-Chair of the conference said the feedback on the visit to Nassau has been incredible.

Public Relations Society of Americas (PRSA) Sunshine District Conference members enjoying a trip to The Bahamas

Weve had a number of people that have never been on a cruise before, weve got a number of people with us who have never been to The Bahamas before and so as a co-chair its exciting to not only offer professional development opportunities within the public relations profession but also talk about tourism, public relations industry and show people things they have never seen before.

A number of folks said they would like to come back and spend more time in The Bahamas. There was a relatively short tour of the island where we were able to get a taste of the island, get a taste of conch and try traditional beverages. I cant say enough about how fantastic everyone has been and the feedback has been phenomenal, Upright said while sipping a Goombay Punch.

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Bahamas hosts Public Relations Society of America Conference - South Florida Caribbean News

URI Basketball Trip Changes Plans from Europe to the Bahamas in … – WLNE-TV (ABC6)

URI News release...

KINGSTON, R.I. The University of Rhode Island mens basketball team has made a change to its summer foreign trip plans.

Originally scheduled to visit London, England and Paris, France over an eight-day span from August 7-16, the Rams will now visit the Bahamas for a six-day stay from August 7-13.

We made this decision with the best interest of our student-athletes and their safety in mind, said head coach Dan Hurley. Our staff and our administration arrived at this decision based on the events that occurred there recently and the overall uncertainty in both of the locations we planned on visiting. Safety is our ultimate concern.

While there is no specific threat that led the decision to switch locations, the United States Department of State issued a travel alert for American citizens visiting Europe on May 1, 2017 that extends through the month of August.

The NCAA allows basketball programs to take a take a foreign tour once every four years. Rhode Island is permitted to hold 10 days of practice prior to the trip. Once in the Bahamas, URI will scrimmage the Bahamian National Team twice during its trip in early August.

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URI Basketball Trip Changes Plans from Europe to the Bahamas in ... - WLNE-TV (ABC6)

Inside Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s Family Vacation in the Bahamas, Two Months After Filing for Divorce – E! Online

It's been two months since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner officially filed for divorce (and two years since they announced their separation), but they still make sure to spend quality time together with their three children, Violet, Samuel and Seraphina.

Case in point: The whole familyvacationed in Baker's Baylast week.

"Ben and Jen took a family vacation with other family friends," an insider tells E! News. "There was never any question that Ben would be there. All the dads went along, and it would have been strange for the kids not to have their dad there."

If Baker's Bay sounds familiar, that's because it's the same Caribbean island the family visited after they announced their separation in 2015. But they've been going there for years, even before that.

Of course, with the vacation comes plenty of speculation regarding their relationship status. However, our insider confirms, "They are not getting back together at all. They are both moving on, but will continue doing things together as a family."

We're told Benwasn't there the entire time. Rather, hecame for a few days toward the end of the trip.

As for the getaway, another source dished,"They stayed in the same house they always stay at. It's beachfront and beautiful. It's an annual tradition for them when the kids get out of school to come for a long vacation. It's very relaxing, and they can feel like they're on island time with nowhere to go and nobody they need to see."

Erik Pendzich/REX Shutterstock

So what did they do?

Our insider added, "The kids spent a lot of time on the beach swimming and playing in the sand with their friends. They also swam in the pool at the house and visited the club. Ben and Jen both worked out at the gym daily."

The former couple has always been very vocal that co-parenting their three children is their No.1 priority, and they will remain united as a team to do so.

"We are definitely a modern family," Jen told Todaylast summer. "You don't have a choice," she added, admitting that while their new normal might look unusual to some, they're actually "doing really well."

Ben reiterated that statement when he told E! News,"Jen is a superhero mom. She is an amazing mother, and I'm really lucky to have her as a partner to co-parent these kids with.We try our best, we put them first and that's what we do."

Us Weekly was the first to report about the vacation.

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Inside Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's Family Vacation in the Bahamas, Two Months After Filing for Divorce - E! Online

Poore heightens Tribe excitement by adding trip to Bahamas – Kingsport Times News

Instead of a trip to the Chop House Classic in Knoxville, Poore will take his Indians to the Bahamas for the Tabernacle Baptist Academy Thanksgiving Tournament.

The Tribe will play four games in the Bahamas the first four games of the Poore era at D-B.

We were scheduled to go to the Chop House Classic, Poore said. There is nothing wrong with that tournament. You play some good teams, but there is a low level of excitement when you tell your guys you are going to Knoxville to play in a Thanksgiving tournament.

The Bahamas, on the other hand?

The guys were really, really excited when I told them about the Bahamas, he added. Its the Bahamas and its pretty exciting for a high school kid to go out of the country and play a game.

Poore likes to have a trip of some kind every year for his team. He took three of his Jefferson County teams to the Bahamas tournament and said the experience is much more than just basketball.

When you go somewhere like the Bahamas for a week and you have a week with not only the players, you have a week with dedicated supporters from the community that are going along, a couple of school faculty that are going and parents and everybody is in one group, Poore said. Its a pretty special thing. You can start to grow as a program.

The trip will be played on Grand Bahama Island and hosted by Freeport, although there are only two indoor gyms on the island.

Freeport doesnt have an indoor gym, Poore noted. The JV teams when they play interschool games, they play outside in the parking lot because there are not enough indoor gyms.

Tribe players will also see Bahamian students in academic situations.

The neat thing is when we visit, our players get to see the classrooms with no air conditioning, two mini ceiling fans and way-too-overcrowded conditions, Poore said. Its helpful to appreciate what we have when we come back.

When the Indians return stateside, theyll play their home opener against who else? Jefferson County.

Thats my first game at D-B in the States, said a smiling Poore. We get back on Sunday, we play them on Tuesday. I joked with the staff when I left, The streak against D-B is over, brother.

Poore also plans for the Indians to continue competing in the prestigious Arbys Classic.

We not only want to be in the Arbys every year, we need to have a good showing and be competitive, he said. I hope our players look at that as an opportunity to sell our brand. Thats going to be big for us.

Poore played in the Arbys Classic at Greeneville and coached Jefferson County to a third-place finish in the 2014 tournament.

The memories for me as a player and coach are great memories, he said. We had that fabulous game against David Crockett in 2014 coming from 19 points down.

Ive never been at a school that goes every year. At Jefferson County, we didnt get to go back after that one showing.

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Poore heightens Tribe excitement by adding trip to Bahamas - Kingsport Times News

Florida Boys Lost At Sea Planned To Go To Bahamas, Posted Snapchats Just Before Disappearing – International Business Times

Almost two years after two Florida teenagers went missing at sea, investigators are still piecing together the details of their final moments. When Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos took a small boat out July,24, 2015, it appeared they were headed for the Bahamas, according to a court document obtained last week by WPLG-TV.

By putting together social media activity and interviews with friends and family, investigators were able to discern where the 14-year-olds may have been headed that day.

Read: Federal Lawsuit Filed In Case Of Florida Boys Lost At Sea

Me and Austin r crossing to the Bahamas tomorrow come with us, Cohen wrote in an Instagram message to a friend Jul. 23, 2015, according to the court document. We wouldnt check in.

Perry Cohen (L) and Austin Stephanos (R) went missing almost two years ago during a fishing trip off the coast of Florida. Photo: United States Coast Guard

The not checking in appeared to be in reference to avoiding customs officials on the way to the Bahamas.

In addition, Stephanos posted a Snapchat photo the day they left. The picture showed fishing poles on the boat alongside the caption Peace Out Jup.

Usually, when we say Peace Out Jup, we mean going to the Bahamas, a friend of the boys told investigators.

The social media activity was discovered after Stephanos iPhone was recovered almost eight months after the boys disappeared. The phone, their life vests and the 18-foot boat were eventually found, though no trace of the teens themselves was ever located.

The boys mentioned to at least one other friend that they were thinking about heading to the Bahamas, but eventually Austin said it was too rough, the friend told investigators.

The boys intended to take the boat out quite a distance, a girlfriend of a Stephanos family member told investigators, noting she had seen them with two extra gas cans before leaving.

Interviews with Stephanos grandfather also led officials to believe the boys had their sights set on the Bahamas. Richard Kuntz told investigators he gave his grandson $100 to buy gas for their fishing trip.

And thats when they starting talking about going to the Bahamas, ya didnt, he was just there, he knows you need a passport, he didnt have any money and he knows, two engines to go, minimum, or two boats, never by yourself with one engine and one battery, Kuntz said, according to the court document. The one battery, he wouldnt think about, but one engine, he would, and 40 gallons of gas, no.

Read: Plane Disappears Over Bermuda Triangle, 2 Adults, 2 Toddlers Missing

Cohens stepfather also told investigators that Cohen asked to borrow a boat GPS the night before leaving, telling him that Stephanos wanted to buy one.

I said, What are you going to do with it? he told investigators. You guys fishing or what are you going to do with it? Besides that, how are you going to hook it up? No mount. No wire. Perry said No, he has some wires there, he really wants to try. And I go, Perry, its not going to work, but if [you] need to satisfy your curiosity, go ahead.

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Florida Boys Lost At Sea Planned To Go To Bahamas, Posted Snapchats Just Before Disappearing - International Business Times

Bahamas Criticized For Slack Investigation into Disappearance of Cruise Ship Worker – Caribbean360.com (subscription)

Rebecca Coriam was swept overboard by a wave off the coast of Mexico in 2011 while working on the Disney Wonder.

CHESTER, England, Thursday June 29, 2017 A Bahamian investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a woman who was working on a Disney cruise ship has been harshly criticised by a British maritime expert.

Officially, Rebecca Coriam, 24, was swept overboard by a wave off the coast of Mexico in 2011 while working as a child-minder on the Disney Wonder. Her family has always suspected foul play, however, because they maintain that there were no reports of rough seas in the area at the time.

Heat Street reports that it has now come to light that two friends who worked with Coriam on the ship later visited her parents at their home near Chester, England and said she had confided in them that she was scared of being raped or sexually assaulted.

Shortly after she disappeared, an official investigation was launched in accordance with maritime law, which states that if a ship is in international waters the case is the responsibility of the nation where the vessel is registered.

The Disney Wonder was registered in the Bahamas. At Disneys expense, one officer Superintendent Paul Rolle from the Royal Bahamas Police Force was flown in to investigate. Rolle arrived with no forensic equipment.

Notes sent by the UK Foreign Office to Coriams parents indicate that her final movements focused on her relationships with two crew members her American girlfriend and a man from Central America.

According to Superintendent Rolles notes: (American woman in relationship with Miss Coriam) left to get more beer. Came back and Rebecca and (male crew member who was in a relationship with the American woman) chatting.

She came back and all 3 went to (male crew members) room. (Male crew member) had sex with both. (American woman) left the room again to get beer. Came back and Rebecca and (male crew member) had sex.

The Bahamian detectives notes also detail how the male crew member had a very nonchalant attitude when being questioned. He was laughing and joking and police had to give him a warning.

The Coriam family suspect Rebecca died because she wouldnt agree to an open bisexual relationship with the male and female crew members. They believe their daughter was sexually assaulted and that any sex she had outside of her lesbian relationship was forced, and not consensual.

Maritime expert Bill Anderson, who is working with the family, was quoted as telling Britains Daily Mail: Everything has been covered up. Rebecca was a happy-go-lucky person with plenty to live for. The only thing that was upsetting her was pressure being placed on her to have sex with somebody she didnt want to.

But the investigation, by one detective from the Bahamas, and the carefree way they let suspects out of their grasp, beggars belief.

Although the Coriam family is pushing for a new inquiry into Rebeccas death, British authorities have said that the incident is not in their jurisdiction.

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Rutherford, others sign letter opposing seismic testing offshore | St … – St. Augustine Record

The same day that President Donald Trump touted new energy policies during a speech at the U.S. Department of Energy that he said were part of a golden era of American energy, Rep. John Rutherfords office released a letter signed by him more and than 100 other members of Congress that voiced opposition to the use of a controversial oil and gas exploration technique off the Atlantic Coast.

We are writing in strong opposition to your recent secretarial order to move forward with offshore oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean, the letter, signed by members of both parties and addressed to Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, began.

Offshore oil and gas exploration, the first step of which is seismic air gun testing, puts at risk coastal economies based on fishing, tourism, and recreation, it said before asking Zinke not to issue any permits for the surveys.

Rutherford, a Republican, represents Floridas 4th District that includes parts of Nassau, Duval and St. Johns counties. Republican Ron DeSantis, who represents the southern portion of St. Johns County, also signed the letter.

Seismic air gun testing is used to map potential drilling sites, but many say the air guns, which blast intense pulses of compressed air at the ocean floor, are so loud they can disturb or injure endangered right whales and other marine mammals.

Rutherford had voiced opposition to the testing earlier this month when the Trump administration, through the National Marine Fisheries Service, made its first move toward oil exploration by requesting permits under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for five companies to use air guns for seismic surveys in the mid-Atlantic, from Delaware to Central Florida.

Rutherfords office released a brief statement at the time saying that he was working to build a coalition in Congress opposed to opening up the Atlantic to drilling activities and share with the administration how offshore oil and gas exploration threatens our coastal economies based on fishing businesses, restaurants, and the visitors that flock to Northeast Florida.

The letter dated June 28, but released Thursday said that those who signed have heard from countless business owners, elected officials and residents along our coasts who recognize and reject the risks of offshore oil and gas development.

The Interior Department, though, is rewriting a five-year drilling plan established by the Obama administration, with an eye toward opening areas in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans that now are off-limits to drilling. Its one of six initiatives that the president unveiled Thursday in hopes of generating more energy exports and jobs.

Trump and other officials say they are confident the country can pave the path toward energy dominance by exporting oil, gas and coal to markets around the world, and promoting nuclear energy and even renewables such as wind and solar power.

Zinke says increased offshore drilling could provide more than enough revenue to offset an $11.5 billion maintenance backlog in national parks.

Theres a consequence when you put 94 percent of our offshore off limits, Zinke said in a speech this week. Theres a consequence of not harvesting trees. Theres a consequence of not using some of our public lands for creation of wealth and jobs.

Oceana, an environmental group that has been at the forefront of the opposition to seismic testing, issued a news release Thursday about the letter.

In it, Oceana campaign director Nancy Pyne praised Rutherford and Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginias 8th District who helped form the coalition of lawmakers that signed the letter.

The groundswell of opposition to these dirty and dangerous activities continues to grow every day, she continued. Currently, 126 East Coast municipalities, more than 1,200 local, state and federal officials, and an alliance representing over 41,000 businesses and 500,200 fishing families from Florida to Maine, publicly oppose seismic air gun blasting and/or offshore drilling. The risk to marine life, coastal communities and economies is just too great.

This story contains reporting from The Associated Press.

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Rutherford, others sign letter opposing seismic testing offshore | St ... - St. Augustine Record

The Deepest Exploration Well Ever Signals A Return For Offshore … – OilPrice.com

By Dave Forest - Jun 29, 2017, 10:30 AM CDT

Oil prices have been a big item lately with crude plunging below $45 per barrel in recent weeks.

But quiet reports across the industry show costs for oil and gas drillers may be falling even faster than that. With recent studies showing that offshore oil projects may actually be feasible at or near current prices.

That sentiment appears to be trickling through to project activity on the ground. With one first-of-a-kind exploration project announced this week showing that E&Ps are once again going big for offshore targets.

That project is in the Caspian Sea of central Asia. Where an international consortium of companies signed a historic deal this week to drill the deepest exploration well ever attempted by the global petroleum industry.

The so-called Eurasia project will be attempted by Chinas CNPC along with Italys Agip, Americas NEOS GeoSolutions, Azerbaijans state oil firm SOCAR, and Kazakhstans RN-Exploration and KazMunayGas-Eurasia. With those partners having been cooperating for several years already in compiling data and geophysical studies on the play.

Heres the plan: the partners will now prepare to drill an exploratory well up to 15 kilometers depth targeting oil under the Caspian depression. A feat that would eclipse the previous-deepest well ever drilled, the 12.3 kilometer Kola Bore Hole at Murmansk, Russia.

This will obviously be a massive technical challenge. But the consortium says the prize could be worth it with estimates suggesting the deep basin here could hold up to 60 billion tonnes (429 billion barrels) of crude. Related:Goldman Sachs: Oil Crash Unlikely To Continue

Interestingly, the consortium is moving ahead with this target without the aid of any major names in the Western international E&P business. Meaning that a success here could mean a major shift in power away from the big names in the industry to rising players like CNPC.

No timeline was given for the drilling watch for further announcements from the consortium on when exactly this record-breaker will come down. It wont be immediate, but this is a potential gamechanger worth keeping an eye on.

Heres to going deep.

By Dave Forest

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Australian military cyber warriors authorised to target offshore criminals – ZDNet

The federal government has announced its intention to launch an offensive cyber capability to fight cyber criminals and thwart attacks against Australia.

Anticipating cybercrime to cost the Australian economy at least AU$1 billion per year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has directed the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) to use its offensive cyber capabilities to "disrupt, degrade, deny, and deter" organised offshore cyber criminals.

By using the intelligence agency's cyber capability, which Turnbull said is currently used to help target, disrupt, and defeat terrorist organisations such as Daesh, Australia is expected to have a stronger arsenal to prevent and shut-down safe-havens for offshore cyber criminals.

"The recent WannaCry and Petya ransomware attacks have affected governments, businesses, and individuals around the world," Turnbull said on Friday.

"Cyber criminals continue to adapt and evolve their methods and tactics, increasingly employing new methods to gain access to a victim and extort funds. As their level of sophistication has improved, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting businesses directly.

"Our response to criminal cyber threats should not just be defensive. We must take the fight to the criminals."

It is expected the ASD will be tasked with defending Australian military targets from cyber attacks and preparing to launch its own assaults on foreign forces, and that it will comprise of specialists staff with a mixture of defence personnel and public service employees, the ABC reported.

"We are using the offensive cyber capabilities against terrorists, and what we are announcing today is that this now will also be used against cyber criminal networks operating offshore," Australian Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security Dan Tehan said on Friday.

"We have to make sure that we are keeping the mums and dads, the small businesses, large businesses, government departments and agencies secure, and that is why we've made this direction to the ASD."

Addressing the National Press Club in November, Tehan warned of the devastation a "cyberstorm" could have.

"All of us must be on notice -- it is not a case of if but when government, businesses, or individuals will be hit," he said.

"When it comes to cybersecurity, being prepared isn't just having a wall that will block and protect from attacks. Instead, being prepared means minimising risk and having the ability to recover, to remediate, and to respond.

"No police force can guarantee that they will eradicate crime completely. But we can make it a lot harder if the windows aren't open, the doors are locked, and there is a strong cop on the beat."

Turnbull launched the country's AU$240 million cybersecurity strategy in April last year, which is aimed at defending the nation's cyber networks from organised criminals and state-sponsored attackers, and sits alongside the AU$400 million provided in the Defence White Paper for cyber activities.

Since its inception at the end of 2014, there have been over 114,000 reports of cybercrime registered with the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN), and, according to Turnbull, 23,700 incidents have been reported over the last six months.

"The government will target criminals wherever they seek to hurt Australian citizens but every Australian has a role to play in ensuring our cybersecurity," the prime minister added. "We must work together to share threat information and learn from each other about the online threats that seek to do us harm."

Also announced on Friday was the transition of the Australian Internet Security Initiative (AISI) from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Australia, which sits within the Attorney-General's Department.

The move comes in response to a recommendation made last month by the Department of Communications after it probed the functions under the ACMA.

The transition will take effect on Saturday, with the ACMA noting it has been working closely with the CERT for a number of months on transferring select cybersecurity functions over.

Read more here:

Australian military cyber warriors authorised to target offshore criminals - ZDNet

DONG Energy inaugurates two offshore wind farms – CNBC.com – CNBC

DONG Energy has announced the inauguration of the Gode Wind 1 and 2 offshore wind farms. The wind farms are situated 45 kilometers off the coast of Germany, and construction on the project began in 2015.

The announcement was made earlier this week, with DONG Energy saying that the wind farms with 97 turbines and a total capacity of 582 megawatts are set to produce enough power to supply around 600,000 German households every year. DONG Energy said that it owns half of both Gode Wind 1 and 2.

"The wind turbines at Gode Wind 1 and 2 are already generating clean power off the coast of Norddeich, and our next German offshore wind farm, Borkum Riffgrund 2, is well underway," DONG Energy's Samuel Leupold said in a statement.

"These large-scale projects are testament that offshore wind has become a reliable, predictable and cost effective technology which will contribute significantly to Germany's energy transition."

Europe is something of a world leader when it comes to offshore wind. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), at the end of 2016 almost 88 percent of all offshore wind installations were in "waters off the coast of ten European countries." The GWEC adds that the U.K. is home to the world's largest offshore wind market, followed by Germany.

"Through technological progress, system services and efficiency, the offshore wind industry has become a driver in the energy industry and focuses on strengthening competitiveness in export, innovation and digitisation," Uwe Beckmeyer, parliamentary state secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, said. "A strong home market is a crucial factor in this regard."

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DONG Energy inaugurates two offshore wind farms - CNBC.com - CNBC

Beaufort mayor ready for another offshore drilling fight – Bluffton Today

Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling and other state municipal leaders were successful in their first effort to oppose offshore drilling, but now they are preparing for another fight.

President Donald Trump on April 28 instructed the Department of the Interior to lift offshore drilling restrictions that former President Barack Obama put in place for the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

Trumps executive order calls for the administration to fast-track permitting to test for oil and natural gas deposits using seismic air guns off the Atlantic Coast.

We won the first battle to stop offshore drilling along our coast, but dont know what the new battle is just yet, Keyserling said last week.

We havent seen anything specific yet from the new administration under President Trump, but the number of businesses in opposition of offshore drilling is now in the thousands and we also have been informed that Gov. Henry McMaster is opposed to the drilling.

While things are changing under the new administration, the resolution against offshore drilling that multiple municipalities passed during the Obama administration would only require some updating for another round of opposition, Keyserling said..

At this point, we need to see where the current administration is coming from in terms of the new developments about this issue, Keyserling said. Everyone who worked with us before is ready to get back on it.

Keyserling said it is important to wait and see what happens next.

Lets wait and see the cards we are dealt, he said. We all have learned to work together and have a strong grassroots impact when it comes to opposing the drilling.

Keyserling said there are many reasons Beaufort County would not be an appropriate location for offshore drilling.

One reason is because so much of our economy depends upon tourism and the quality of life is what the coast is about, he said. If they were to drill, where you do have a port or community? Who wants to become an oil town?

Keyserling also said testing or drilling for oil could disturb marine life.

We dont have the infrastructure here in Beaufort County for offshore drilling, he said. Weve spent hundreds of millions of dollars to refurbish beaches, and to rebuild bridges and communities all along the coast. That tourism could be wiped out if the drilling should move forward.

No matter what, we have to be aware of whats happening and you always want to keep your guard up to protect what you have.

While Keyserling and others wait to see what their next move will be, he said citizens can contact their representatives to voice their concerns.

NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comment through July 6 on incidental harassment authorizations that allow companies that propose seismic testing to incidentally, but not intentionally, harass marine mammals by using the air guns.

They can write their senators, Sen. (Lindsey) Graham or Sen. (Tim) Scott, and simply state they are opposed to seismic testing and drilling, Keyserling said. We are going to continue to work on this issue, and wait and see what comes next in our battle.

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Beaufort mayor ready for another offshore drilling fight - Bluffton Today

4 Things Diamond Offshore’s Management Thinks You Should Know – Motley Fool

When it comes to offshore rig companies lately, you really need to grade on a curve, because the entire industry is suffering. With that in mind, Diamond Offshore Drilling's (NYSE:DO) results lately have been surprisingly positive. It has been able to keep its earnings afloat with some steep cost-cutting, but it has also been able to find work for rigs. That's something we haven't seen much in this industry lately.

On the company's most recent conference call, management tooted its own horn a bit thanks to those new contracts, but it also provided some interesting insights into what the market for offshore rigs will look like in the coming years. Here's a selection of quotes from Diamond CEO Marc Edwards that will help investors better understand the offshore industry today.

Image source: Getty Images.

Probably the hardest thing for offshore rig companies right now is finding new work for their respective rigs. While some companies have been able to tout a few small and short-term contracts, Diamond has been able to secure several long-term contracts. Using this conference call to take a victory lap, Edwards highlighted the contracts Diamond secured in the first quarter of the year:

[W]e commenced two new contracts for our sixth-generation assets, the Ocean GreatWhite and the Ocean BlackRhino, and additionally, we secured a new term contract for our third generation asset, the Ocean Patriot, as well as securing 2 new short-term contracts for the Ocean Monarch. Overall, I'm pleased with these results as it demonstrates our ability to employ all of our sixth-gen assets and find new work for a variety of asset classes while at the same time maintaining a relentless focus on cost management and increased operating efficiency.

Some of these contracts won't be showing up in current results because they are either extensions for rigs already working, or they are in the yard for maintenance work. What is more important is that it extends the time that Diamond's current revenue is protected by long-term contracts. That in and of itself is something few rig companies have today.

The woes of deepwater drilling have been almost exclusively been blamed on the advent of shale drilling and how quickly the latter has moved down the cost curve. Some financial pundits have declared offshore drilling is dead. While the evidence seems to support this idea -- shale drilling in North America has been going like gangbusters, while deepwater drilling has ground to a near-standstill -- Edwards gave a more nuanced approach that should give investors some comfort:

[F]ull life cycle project [net present values] can in many circumstances deliver better returns offshore than onshore, and the real issue here is the timing of the cash flows. While oil prices languish at their current levels, we spend direct investments onshore. However, we are now seeing many [integrated oil companies] rehabilitating their deepwater portfolios and options with a view as to when to bring sanctioning back over the horizon. Nonetheless, it is important express caution here due to the time lag from project sanctions to the actual commencement of drilling activity. But when current industry investment is at such unsustainable levels, we are finally starting to see discussions in relation to deepwater portfolios. It is clear that deepwater economics continue to improve through project standardization and simplification while competing [shale] costs are now trending back up.

For cash-strapped producers, the choice today is pretty obvious. A 10% return you can get three weeks from now is much more attractive than a 30% return you won't get for another three years. Once their balance sheets are in better shape, though, chances are they will start to swing for those greater returns that can be found in the offshore environment.

Up until a few years ago, the drilling industry in general suffered mightily from an old-school, heuristic approach to the entire business -- from rig design and construction to repair and maintenance schedules. Thankfully, though, this trend is starting to come to an end. By now, just about every company has started using a more standardized design for rigs that makes replacement parts that much easier. According to Edwards, Diamond is taking the next logical step and updating the way in which it handles maintenance and replacing parts through data analysis:

[W]e began implementing our new risk-based asset management system, which enables predictive maintenance. This system has been under development for over 18 months, and we are now ready to implement it fleetwide. And with this solution, Diamond Offshore will utilize data analytics to manage rig maintenance across our entire fleet for improved reliability and lower operating costs. This approach moves away from the drilling industry's traditional reliance on time-based rig maintenance and embraces leading practices often found in high-reliability industries such as aerospace and power generation.

This isn't the first stab at new thinking for Diamond when it comes to a more advanced approach to equipment maintenance. Last year, Diamond signed a deal with General Electric (NYSE:GE) where Diamond sold its blow-out preventors back to GE and now leases them back from General Electric with incentive bonuses for less maintenance downtime. The idea is that it puts more skin in the game for General Electric, which motivates it to use a more data-driven approach to repair and maintenance. Diamond benefits because a rig works more days within the duration of a contract, and makes it more likely to receive performance bonuses from the producer. Hopefully, it will be able to do something similar with this new asset management system.

Diamond has been one of the companies that aggressively scrapped or sold older rigs that were less relevant in today's offshore drilling market. As a result, it has one of the more capable fleets -- which explains why it is getting work while others struggle to get contracts. Even after all of the rig scrapping that has gone on in recent years, Edwards thinks that a lot more will be done:

So there's generally a reluctance, I think, to actually grasp the nettle and start scrapping some of the early generations sixth-[generation] rigs, the ones that came out in '08, '09, '10, for example that are sitting at the back of the deli line in terms of desirability and many of our peers simply just can't afford to take the impairment of those rigs due to, as I mentioned, breaking their debt covenants and as a result they're just sitting out there. I think ultimately, however, if we truly take a look forward to this recovery, which will be somewhat drawn-out, I think that many of those sixth-generation rigs that are cold-stacked today, that are of the early generation of the sixth-gen category will not see the light of day again simply because as each year passes, your activation costs come up too high and therefore, they will effectively be de facto scrapped.

This is bad news for companies with lots of these sixth-generation rigs that were made in the past 10 years, but can't find work. One of the reasons they have been hesitant to scrap these newer rigs is many of them are still held for a high value on balance sheets, and to scrap them would involve even more asset impairments that could make some rig companies violate their debt covenants. Eventually, these rigs will either go away, or the market will eventually rebound enough that even these rigs will find work. Whatever the case, those companies with these kinds of rigs in their fleets are likely to suffer for a while.

Tyler Crowe owns shares of General Electric. The Motley Fool owns shares of General Electric. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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4 Things Diamond Offshore's Management Thinks You Should Know - Motley Fool

The Offshore Boom To Break The OPEC Deal – OilPrice.com

While all eyes are riveted on how much U.S. shale output is undermining OPECs production cuts and any oil price gains, other non-OPEC producers are also increasing crude production, and most importantlyexports. Rising supply from non-OPEC countries other than the U.S. adds yet another headache to the cartel as it continues to try (with little success so far) to kill the glut and lift the price of oil.

One of those non-OPEC deal producers is Brazil, which is not only growing its production, but is also seeing a surge in crude oil exports.

South Americas biggest economy is trying to emerge from a two-year recessionthe worst in its history. Falling commodity prices and a series of corruption and political scandalsincluding a scandal at state oil firm Petrobrashas crippled the economy and undermined investor confidence in the past few years.

Brazils worst recession on record has led to a slump in domestic oil and fuel demand, and a rise in crude oil exports. Moreover, the country is trying to lure international oil companies to its offshore pre-salt fields with amended legislation, and is launching new projects and tenders. Analysts and international agenciesas well as OPEC itselfsee Brazil as one of the biggest contributors to growing non-OPEC supply this year, albeit at a distant second or third behind U.S. shale.

Brazils oil exports jumped by 94 percent on the year in February this year, beating the previous record from January. In the first quarter of 2017, oil exports jumped by 56 percent compared to the same period last year.

The Q1 2017 surge in Brazils oil exports came after state-controlled Petrobras reported a 6 percent rise in exports and a 30 percent decline in imports for 2016, moving it into net exporter territory. In Q4 2016, Petrobras oil product production in Brazil dropped 3 percent to 1.8 million bpd. Domestic oil product sales decreased 4 percent to 2.0 million bpd, while oil and oil product exports jumped by 13 percent to 634,000 bpd, Petrobras said. Related:Shale Rebound Runs Out Of Steam At $40 Oil

In Q1 2017, Petrobras oil and oil product exports soared 72 percent compared to Q1 2016.

Wood Mackenzie has estimated that Brazilian exports this year will rise to almost 1 million bpd, compared to 798,000 bpd last year.

While exports could improve Brazils foreign trade balance, this is bad news for OPEC, which is trying desperately, and so far not very efficiently, to draw down the global oversupply and prop up oil prices.

Brazil becoming a relevant exporter is complicating OPECs efforts to control prices through supply cuts, former oil regulator Helder Queiroz, a scholar at Rio de Janeiro Federal University, told Bloomberg by telephone.

OPECs latest Monthly Oil Market Report estimated that non-OPEC oil supply in the second half of this year will increase by 500,000 bpd compared to the first half, to average 58.4 million bpd. The U.S. is the main driver behind this higher growth, contributing 760,000 bpd, followed by Brazil and Canada with 120,000 bpd and 60,000 bpd, respectively. On a country-by-country basis, the main contributors to growth in 2017 are expected to be the U.S. with 0.80 mb/d, Canada with 0.26 mb/d, Brazil with 0.21 mb/d and Kazakhstan with 0.13 mb/d, OPEC said.

The June Oil Market Report by the IEA said that Non-OPEC output is seen rising by 660 kb/d this year, a slight upward revision from last month's Report. In 2018, growth will accelerate to 1.5 mb/d, driven by strong U.S. crude production and further gains from Brazil and Canada.

In projections for oil supply until 2022, the IEA expects the countries other than the U.S. with significant growth to be Brazil, Canada, and Kazakhstan, which will see their cumulative output rising 2.2 mb/d by 2022, reaping the rewards of investment decisions taken before oil prices declined. Related:$30 Oil Could Spark Contagion In Energy Markets

Moreover, Brazils pre-salt basin is adding new production, with international oil and gas majors participating in the consortia developing the fields.

The hot oil plays will be U.S. tight oil (the Permian Basin again to the fore) and Brazil pre-salt, both of which have materiality and among the lowest development breakevens globally, Wood Mackenzie said at the beginning of this year in its 2017 global upstream outlook.

Analysts concur that Brazils crude oil production will increase over the next few years. In the short term, Brazilian exports and outputcoupled with U.S. shale and Canada gainsis offsetting a large part of the OPEC cuts.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The Offshore Boom To Break The OPEC Deal - OilPrice.com

Offshore Drilling: Discussing First-Half Results – Seeking Alpha

The sixth month of this year ends in a few days and I feel its high time to look at the results of the offshore drilling sector and where it is headed. Heres what I believe are major highlights of the first half together with my thoughts on the future.

Oil prices drop and postpone recovery

It is now a fact OPEC failed to lift oil prices, at least in the short term. Both Brent (BNO) and WTI (USO) trade at about the same levels where they traded before the first announcement of the OPEC decision to cut production. The prolongation of the deal did not inspire the market and led to a downtrend in oil prices.

In my view, oil prices continue to trend in a wide range, which is roughly $44-58 for Brent and $42-55 for WTI. To get out of this range, oil prices will need strong upside catalysts. So far, the effect of the OPEC/non-OPEC deal was not sufficient enough to push oil prices to the desired $60+ range, which will create a meaningful uptick in the contract activity in the offshore drilling space.

The effect of the recent drop is really negative for the potential recovery. There is little reason to rush into offshore drilling spending for most oil companies. In all likelihood, they will continue to prioritize short-cycle investments like shale over offshore drilling in the second half of this year.

Day rates reach bottom and wont recover in H2 2017

As those who follow the industry regularly know well, many contracts now come at undisclosed day rates. Its not hard to decipher what undisclosed means the rate is so low that a company does not want to show it to both investors and competitors.

For day rates to increase, utilization should increase significantly. I do not see it happening in the near term. New contracts are scarce while many rigs roll off their previous contracts. Scrapping could have helped, but accounting consequences of scrapping (the necessity to take impairments which could lead to problems with credit covenants) prevent many drillers from retiring their rigs.

Offshore drilling is getting more competitive? Too early to celebrate

Here and there we can read that offshore drilling is getting more competitive and that the sole obstacle in its competition with shale is the necessity to make big upfront investments. There is no surprise that offshore drilling becomes more attractive as offshore drillers agree to contracts at cash breakeven rates! This is not sustainable and everyone understands it. Offshore drilling will be competitive with shale when it will be able to operate with same costs while all companies involved get rational rates, allowing them to profit and invest for the future.

M&A begins

Two major deals were announced (and one already executed) in the first half of this year. Transocean (RIG) sold its entire jack-up fleet to Borr Drilling. Ensco (ESV) announced a merger with Atwood Oceanics (ATW). It is not yet clear whether Ensco shareholders will vote for the merger with Atwood.

The necessity for consolidation in the industry has been discussed many times. Currently, it looks like smaller companies dont have a good place in the future of the industry as clients prefer stable companies with solid finances. However, potential acquirers themselves are not in their best shape. First, companies like Ocean Rig (ORIG) and Pacific Drilling (PACD) have to go through restructurings and get rid of debt, and only then deals similar to Ensco Atwood could be considered.

Among U.S.listed stocks, its difficult to find a company which looks ready to grab another driller right now. Frankly, Enscos move was a surprise to me. Nevertheless, I do not anticipate that other companies will immediately follow Ensco's steps. Neither Rowan (RDC), Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO), Noble Corp. (NE) nor Transocean looks ready for a deal, especially now, when the more obvious target has been approached by Ensco.

In my view, the EnscoAtwood deal will be positive for the industry if it goes through shareholder votes as it will likely lead to rationalization of Ensco's fleet. At the same time, the recent Transocean sale led to an increase in competition. The net result of these two deals is hardly positive as Borr Drilling emerged as a new competitor with a significant fleet.

Offshore drilling stocks trade near yearly lows

The direct consequence of the recent drop in oil prices is the price action in nearly all offshore drilling stocks. In case oil is really in a range and it will rebound from current levels, offshore drilling stocks will also experience a rebound. However, I do not think they can reach highs of the beginning of this year unless oil breaks out of this range and trades above $60. Current range has already proved insufficient for meaningful recovery, so each month oil stays in $50 whereabouts the fundamental situation gets a bit worse for the industry. Thus, its hard to expect that drilling stocks will react to oil upside with the same enthusiasm as at the beginning of this year, when the market implied that OPEC/non-OPEC deal will provide big support for oil prices.

In my view, the safest play from the long-term perspective is Rowan. However, it does not mean that this stock will be the best from the trading perspective in the shorter term should oil prices rebound from current levels.

H2 2017 will be very interesting and volatile

Im expecting that more contracts will surface in the second half of this year as oil companies will prepare for their drilling programs in 2018. Despite all the current attractiveness of shale and all the fuss about the end of the oil age, offshore drilling is a huge part of the world oil supply and oil companies will start locking cheap day rates after a few years of hiatus.

However, until the real, tangible signs of offshore drilling recovery materialize, offshore drilling stocks will remain more suited for trading than to be longer-term holdings. Timing of the recovery is uncertain and drilling stocks may experience many local up and down cycles before establishing an upside trend in case of oil price recovery.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: I may trade any of the abovementioned stocks.

Editor's Note: This article covers one or more stocks trading at less than $1 per share and/or with less than a $100 million market cap. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

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Offshore Drilling: Discussing First-Half Results - Seeking Alpha

Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access – BBC News


BBC News
Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access
BBC News
"The Tribunal determines that the junction between the Slovenian territorial sea and the 'High Sea' is an area in which ships and aircraft enjoy essentially the same rights of access to and from Slovenia as they enjoy on the high seas," it said in its ...
Arbitration panel grants Slovenia access to high seasABC News
Court Rules In Favor Of Slovenia In Sea Border Dispute; Croatia Rejects DecisionRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
Slovenia gets bulk of Piran Bay, "junction" with high seasSTA - Slovenska Tiskovna Agencija (subscription)

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Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access - BBC News

Liberbeer Beer with a Taste of Freedom – Total Croatia News

The first Liberbeer was produced at the end of last year in the Kruohor brewery by a brewer who was recognised in 2016 as the most perspective brewer

The Liberbeer party took place recently in Osijek, hosted by the Fabrique bar&grill, conveniently located in Freedom Square, a logical venue for a beer that celebrates freedom. Liber beer is the official beer of Liberland a self-proclaimed state on the Danube River, in between Croatia and Serbia. It is interesting that Croatia claims Liberland is not part of her territory, and Serbia wants nothing to do with it.

The owner of this beer brand is Czech Jaroslav Falta, also owner of the beer e-shop Pivogrando, craft beer store and bar Galerija Piva and craft beer bar Ale!

Liberland is a controversial topic and some in it see a threat and a factor of permanent instability on this unpredictable geopolitical area, a security danger to the constitutional order, but others see in it an opportunity for tourism development and revitalisation of a demographically and economically devastated area. Micronations are not new, and have coexisted in western, democratic societies for decades, some generating significant economic benefit to the local community. Liberland has become known around the world and gathers hundreds of people at its conferences. Tourism connected with Liberland could generate thousands of overnight stays annually in Osijek and Baranja.

The first Liberbeer was produced at the end of last year in the Kruohor brewery by a brewer who was recognised in 2016 as the most perspective brewer. Jaroslav has the ambition to establish a global network of small breweries with local distribution. Besides the Czech Republic, he is also interested in finding partners in Croatia, Serbia and other countries.

The beer is of excellent quality and made from selected flower cones of hops, and water from Rudna Gora on the Czech-German border. Liberbeer is unfiltered, unpasteurised and contains no artificial additives. Jaroslav says of his beer that it seeks to blend the best traditions of Czech brewers with the global trend of craft beer.

They currently offer two beer styles_ Liberbeer Indian Pale Ale with 6.5% alcohol, and a bitterness of 57 IBU. It contains three types of hops Nelson Sauvin, Summit and Sorachi Ace, and two types of malt Marris Otter and T 50. Liberbeer lager has 5% alcohols and a bitterness of 25 IBU, contains hops Saazar, Sladek and Perle, and malts Pilsner and Munich. Liberbeer is sold in glass bottles of 0.5 and 0.75 litres, plastic bottles of 20 litres and kegs of 30 litres.

The Liberbeer party was visited by large numbers of free-thinking individuals, as well as many beer lovers. The promotion also attracted beer influencers such as Danijel Bouri, co-founder of the first Osijek craft brewery Black Hat and one of the foremost homebrewers in the region.

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Liberbeer Beer with a Taste of Freedom - Total Croatia News