Mr Frampton and his company Oil & Water Ltd had been retained by A&P Group, the owners and statutory port authority for Falmouth Harbour, who were in the process of developing an UK£8.8 million yacht marina in the inner harbour. A&P had pleaded guilty to similar offences and had financial orders totalling UK£630,000 imposed by Truro Crown Court in December 2011.

Dredging in Falmouth Harbour is again at the centre of new proposals by A&P and Falmouth Harbour Commissioners to dredge in order to create the depths required for a new cruise terminal. The fishing community and environmentalists are deeply concerned that this new project will cause irreparable damage to the marine eco-system.

Mr Frampton’s appeal centred on the meaning of the word “deposit” in relation to the movement of substances underwater. He also appealed against his UK£25,000 fine, both of which were unsuccessful.

In the original ruling, His Honour Judge Clark QC said that: “Mr Frampton was fully aware of the contaminated silt which he was moving and that he turned a blind eye to what was going to happen.” 

 Judge Clark added that Mr Frampton:  “…would have got away with a public scandal had it not been for the astute vigilance of a marine enforcement officer….”

The case has clarified the meaning of the term ‘deposit’ in relation to dredging and depositing at sea. It reinforced that subcontractors cannot contract out of their regulatory responsibilities and that company directors can be personally criminally liable. Although Oil & Water subsequently entered administration this was no bar to commencing prosecutions against the directors themselves.

The Global Explorer was under way from Coronel, Chile, to Iyomishima in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, at dawn on December 3 when it received a request for assistance from the US Coast Guard in Honolulu.

The ship rushed to the site, arriving in the area that evening, and began searching. Despite the darkness and heavy seas, the ship searched for nine hours before rescuing the stranded yachtsman. The size of the large-scale woodchip carrier made the effort all the more difficult, as it is very challenging to maneuver in extreme weather conditions, but the rescue was accomplished safely thanks to the training and judgment of the Global Explorer’s officers and crew.

The funding has been raised from a variety of banks and private investors and includes £150 million from the European Investment Bank. Commenting on the refinancing, Graeme Charnock, Chief Financial Officer, said: “The strong support we have received from banks and investors is testament to their confidence in the future plans of the Peel Ports Group.

“We have refinanced our existing facilities, and created a diversified and flexible funding platform to support our growth strategy, which includes the development of the Liverpool2 container terminal.”

The Port’s development plans for 2013 include a £300 million investment in the construction of the deep water container terminal, Liverpool2. The new in-river terminal, which will see some of the world’s largest container vessels able to call at the port, will be operational in 2015.

“Achieved through close cooperation between Cavotec Middle East and Cavotec China, as well as our long-standing OEM customers, ZPMC and Trans Gulf Port Cranes (TGPC), and DP World, these substantial orders are an example of our proven track record in handling complex international projects,” says Cavotec CEO, Ottonel Popesco.

ZPMC, the world’s largest port equipment manufacturer, and TGPC, a regional leader in the design, construction and after sales service of cranes, have ordered the equipment, which will be used to power 19 STS and 50 RMG cranes at Jebel Ali Port’s new Terminal 3 container handling facility.

Under the Terminal 3 project, DP World is currently developing 1,600m of quay wall and 70 hectares of yard space for the new container terminal within the existing port area. When complete, the facility is expected to handle some four million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually. Jebel Ali Port is currently equipped with 22 berths and 79 cranes that cater for the world’s largest container vessels.

“We are delighted to once again work with our long-term partners ZPMC and TGPC on this project, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation in the future,” says Juergen Strommer, Managing Director of Cavotec Middle East.

Cavotec equipment already serves container berths at Jebel Ali, and several other DP World applications globally. Cavotec is also currently carrying out a project to electrify rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes at Jebel Ali. Elsewhere, the Group is in the process of supplying similar equipment for DP World’s Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) terminal in the Netherlands.

Cavotec manufactures a diverse range of advanced technologies that help ports around the world to operate safely, efficiently and sustainably. These products include automated mooring systems, shore power technologies, Panzerbelt cable protection systems, crane controllers, marine propulsion slip rings, power chains and connectors, radio remote controls, motorised cable reels and steel chains.