The Blooming Desert - Another Norwegian First

Fascinating article from "The Engineer" last month caught our eye and is our choice for lead article of the year.

Through a combination of climate change, drought, overgrazing and other human activities, desertification across the world is on the march. It’s a process defined by the UN as “land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions”. Given that around 40 per cent of the Earth’s land surface is occupied by drylands – home to around two billion people – the potential for desertification to impact the planet is huge. A recent report from the Economics of Land Degradation Initiative claimed that it’s a problem costing the world as much as US$10.6tn every year – approximately 17 per cent of global gross domestic product.

But one Norwegian start-up is developing a technology to wage a frontline battle with desertification. Desert Control is a Norwegian company set up by Kristian and Ole Morten Olesen, alongside chief operating officer Andreas Julseth. It was recently awarded first prize at ClimateLaunchpad, a clean-tech business competition that attracted more than 700 entries from 28 countries across Europe. The product that earned Desert Control top honours was Liquid NanoClay, a mixture of water and clay that is mixed in a patented process and used to transform sandy desert soils into fertile ground.

To read more follow this link to the full article, and thanks again to "The Engineer" for a great story.

Partfindermarine - Security Update to SSL - in implementation now.

We launched Partfindermarine.com with the stated intention of providing the best possible high-quality, closely monitored, platform in the industry, and that position has not changed in the intervening years.

This week we signed off on our most important upgrade for a long time, migrating our platform to SSL security. This means we can all breathe a bit easier knowing that our service is as secure as we can make it today.

For our users the biggest change will be the "padlock" sign and our updated URL  (https://www.partfindermarine.com) - note the "s" after the "http".

The most important change will be this new URL so those of you who have "bookmarked" or added the platform to your "Favourites" may need to update your systems in turn. Our upgrade should be finished in another 48 hours so please get in touch with us via phone ( +44 1293 871767) or e-mail (info@partfindermarine.com) if you need any advice or guidance accessing the system toward the end of this week.

Sulzer RTA72 exhaust valve cages for sale -

Our trading Company Gatwick Distribution Services Ltd has just taken a fresh consignment of Wartsila/Sulzer RTA72 exhaust valve cages.

Currently lying Singapore at a well-known marine engineering Company there are 7 pieces available on as is/where is basis, subject to prior sale.

Open to best offers, and with the intention of a quick sale, inspection is available by arrangement with GDS, please call or e-mail your interest. Inspection reports on all 7 items are also available, and excertps are visible on the Partfindermarine.com "News" site.

Making the most of your own assets - list your stock NOW!

There seems to be nothing but miserable news to start 2016 - falling oil prices, shipping job losses,  troubled marine sectors worldwide, a slowdown in China ("the great fall of China") more steel production due to go in the UK and increasing tension in the Middle East.

So here is some good news from us as we embark on an ambitious plan to expand our parts database and worldwide supplier network.

List your stock with us and benefit from a one-time charge to list and load your parts or equipment, this will also give you an on-line profile and presence in a growing market-place that is the envy of it's competitors. Get seen and move that stock. Especially if it is slow-moving or not the newest model.

Contact us here to register your interest and let's get your stock listed NOW!

RMS St.Helena - the end of an era

Reading as we did this week of the progress of the new runway on the UK Dependency island of St. Helena  (Napoleon ended his days there in 1821), now expected to be fully operational next month, we note the impending retirement of the last Royal Mail Ship RMS St. Helena. There can be no doubt that the runway will bring many benefits, but it also heralds the decommissioning of this unique vessel.

The RMS St. Helena is a unique cargo-passenger ship ("combi-liner") that sails to the stunning island of St. Helena, one of the most remote, inhabited islands in the world. You can explore all that she has to offer from the many tours available, to life onboard and the wonderful gastronomy. It’s a magical voyage on the RMS St Helena, enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience before she goes out of service this summer.