The Swiss-owned “Pioneering Spirit”, the largest construction vessel ever built, brought the Bosphorus Strait to a halt this week on its way to a major Black Sea pipeline project.
The mammoth vessel is headed for the port of Anapa (Russia) after a three-week journey that began in the Netherlands on May 13. On Wednesday, traffic and ferry lines across the symbolic Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul were suspended to allow the giant to make its way from Europe to Asia.
The Swiss company Allseas, which specialises in pipeline installation and subsea construction, owns the 382 metre-long and 124 metre-wide twin-hulled ship. Built over a three-year period in South Korea, the vessel began operational work in summer 2016 and flies under a Maltese flag.
Not only is it the largest construction vessel ever built, but it is also one of the strongest. At the end of April, according to Allseas, it set a world lifting record with the successful removal of a 24,000-tonne oil platform belonging to Shell UK in the North Sea.
The vessel is headed to assist on the Turkish Stream pipeline project, which will start from Anapa in Russia and cover a 900-kilometre route under the Black Sea to reach Thrace on the Turkish coast. The gas pipelines are also planned to extend as far as southern and southeastern Europe.
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Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
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It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
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The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
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Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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The Italian authorities have recovered over 2,500 precious ancient coins, vases and small sculptures that had been illegally dug up and sold in Switzerland, Eurojust announced on Monday.
PrimeEnergy Cleantech declared bankrupt by Swiss authorities
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PrimeEnergy Cleantech has been officially declared bankrupt, the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC) reported on Monday.
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The consumption of antibiotics has risen in Switzerland since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, compared to other European countries the Alpine country has one of the lowest levels of antibiotic usage.
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The Swiss financial sector will face greater uncertainty due to the numerous geopolitical conflicts around the world, warns the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
Swiss museums to mark centenary of death of painter Félix Vallotton
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Swiss museums will celebrate the centenary of the death of the artist Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) next year. A major retrospective is planned in Lausanne, his birthplace, in autumn.
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Switzerland – the discreet shipping giant
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One of the main factors behind this change is Geneva, which is home to shipping giants like Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), explained Bernard Morard, dean of the faculty of Economic and Social Sciences at Geneva University. “[The city] manages to offer networks that include commodity traders, banks, as well as insurance, shipping and quality control…
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For the second year in a row, Switzerland was only outclassed by Hong Kong in the 2017 IMD World Competitiveness YearbookExternal link, released on Wednesday. The ranking of 63 nations is compiled by comparing relative strengths in 261 areas – from the economy to political stability, health, education and the environment. Switzerland gained strong marks…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.