Rolls-Royce (LON:RR) has opened its newly expanded and modernised Marine Service Centre in the Port of Rotterdam. The facility serves a variety of customers from the commercial and offshore sectors, as well as the Royal Dutch Navy. It can repair and overhaul the full range of Rolls-Royce diesel and gas engines, thrusters, steering gear and propellers.
HSBC (LON:HSBA) said that HSBC Bank Bermuda has agreed to sell its insurance management business and other assets to Kane Group for US$27.5 million.
British Land (LON:BLND) has appointed Lucinda Bell as finance director with effect from 24 May this year.
FirstGroup (LON:FGP) remains on course to achieve overall earnings and cash targets for the year. The group also said that outperformance in UK operations, particularly in the Rail division, was offset by further pressure on First Student's margin.
Herencia Resources (LON:HER) said today that contractor Major Drilling has begun work on the Doris prospect on the Paguanta project. In all the company has contracted a 15,000 metre drilling programme for Paguanta which will test Doris, the La Rosa porphyry-copper prospect and in-fill the Patricia deposit.
Petro Matad (LON:MATD) is preparing to resume work on Block XX, where it made three consecutive oil discoveries last year before the worst of the Mongolian winter closed in.
North River Resources PLC (LON:NRRP) reported “a solid performance” during the 18 month period to 31 December 2010 and achieved its stated goals of entering joint ventures on various properties and securing additional exploration licences.
Maritime electronics specialist Software Radio Technology (LON:SRT) said this morning it has signed agreements with three new customers. It gave no financial details, but said the companies plan to incorporate SRT's products in projects for which they are tendering.
Norcon (LON:NCON) has won a contract to support an unnamed mobile phone operator in Thailand, which is carrying out an upgrade to its national network.
City firm Cenkos (LON:CNKS) revealed a strong set of financial results this morning, with its corporate broking arm lifting profits. Overall the group increased revenues by 31 percent to £60.3 million (FY09:£46.2 million), underlying operating profit was up 10 percent to £14.4 million (FY09:£13 million) and statutory operating profit was up 25 percent to £7 million (FY09:£5.6 million).
Sierra Rutile (LON:SRX) has repaid €13 million of its subsidiary’s loan from the government of Sierra Leone following a successful placing to raise £11.4 million. The loan was taken out for the restart of Sierra Rutile's mine in 2005 and was funded under a European Commission programme.
GoldStone Resources (LON:GRL) has been given the go-ahead for drilling at the Homase gold project in Ghana, and it is expecting that the nearby Akrokerri licence will be renewed shortly.
GMA Resources PLC (LON:GMA) said its Algerian operating company ENOR SpA has initiated talks with its main lender, the Bank Exterieure d'Algerie (BEA), to renegotiate and extend the term and principal repayments of all short and medium term loan facilities.
Nautical Petroleum (LON:NPE) told investors that the Kraken accumulation in the North Sea now has between 635 million and 1.5 billion barrels of stock tank oil initially in place (STOIIP).
Shares in luxury goods maker Mulberry Group PLC (LON:MUL) rose on the back of a positive trading update. The bags and accessories group said that due to strong UK and export sales during January and February which have continued into March, sales and profit for the year ending 31 March 2011 are expected to exceed market expectations.