MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands’ new port facility sea bed survey to be completed by early June
A deployable core drill rig is taking samples of the sea bed and rock structure for the likely locations of a future deep-sea port for the Falkland Islands in Port William, reports the Penguin News. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules5 fathoms... 4 fathoms.... 1 fathom... -1 fathom ... feck
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 06:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What do you need Argentina for if you build a new deep water port?
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 06:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0[2]
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 07:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Money and lots of it.
But as CFK is in so much debt,
Perhaps an Airfix model will suffix for now
It take Cruise Ships too I think. Bye bye Arg
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 07:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Christ, I hope they don't drill too deep, they may find oil. I heard a whisper there is oil in them there waters , lots of it.
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 07:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What do they have to build in order to rival the closest ports in terms of facilities?
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 08:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Needs to be big enough for the cruise ships and a Queen Elizabeth II Supercarrier. Not the best indication to Argentina that we have much intention of leaving anytime soon.
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 08:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7 Any supercarrier will no doubt park up at Mare Harbour where the Navy have their very own deep water facilities in a plymouth away from home. That's to keep argie eyes off the tackle.
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 08:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Ah HMS Queen Elizabeth will look lovely in Mare Harbour and the Falkland economy will get another boost with 600 matelots on the loose
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 10:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2;
Apr 02nd, 2013 - 11:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The answer to that, is the falklands just don't need argentina in any way for the development of their oil industry.
@10 in anyway shape or form
Apr 03rd, 2013 - 12:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0@11 they do need transport infrastructure, educational facilities, low-tax development zones, and a sizeable container storage facility, however.
Apr 03rd, 2013 - 08:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0That's going to cost them a few £s.
@12
Apr 04th, 2013 - 07:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0True, but even the most conservative estimates of oil/gas reserves suggest that the Falkland Islands will have $ billions of royalty revenues per year. Therefore it is unlikely that the FIG will have much difficulty finding the finance to build a deep water port, or alternatively finding an existing port firm to invest in one.
The London Gateway is a perfect example of international finance building a state of the art container port close to a major market. In a few years time, it will be handling a major percentage of Britain's imports & exports.
http://www.londongateway.com/
I don't believe the Falkland Islands needs a super size port. Even if there is a major oil strike, the number of ships needed to supply the oil fields could be dealt with by a port the size of Aberdeen. As for production platforms, there's increased use of converted oil tankers which are permanently moored over the field and then transfer the oil/gas/distillate to other tankers on a regular basis. Some of these tankers are now moored on Brazilian oil fields.
I doubt that it will be necessary to build a large refinery in the Falklands, but a small one, or a gas pipeline might be useful. However, it's very likely that the FIG may need to consider further accommodation for the drillers & support staff and consider developing Stanley or awarding a developer a contract to build another oil town near the port facilities so that the character of Stanley is not changed by the rapid increase in the size of the population.
One thing is certain, the oil boom in the Falklands will improve the way of life for the Islanders in many ways. I just hope that it does not change the essential character of the Islands as a friendly place where everyone knows everyone else's name, or knows them by sight as friends.
If Argentina had signed up to an oil agreement with FIG and provided facilitie,s not only would they benefitted financially but they would have the potential to disrupt the oil industry at a pre determined time in the future.
Apr 06th, 2013 - 10:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Didn't think it through did they?
Having a deep water facility will allow the Islands even more independence and remove the need for Argentina altogether.
The obvious benefits of having such a facility will far outlast the oil industry and it is concieveable that in the future (if there is a large enough town to avoid Stanley being swamped ) then the Islands may be able to develop other industries and compete with other ports in the area., thus drawing trade from Southern Argentina, as Argentina is primarily more concerned with the north of its country.
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