May 19, 2022 – Malaysia News Gazette

May 19, 2022

Azerion & MGA Entertainment Launch Partnership to Gamify the Iconic MGA Entertainment Brands

MGA Azerion Banner

Azerion launches a content partnership to provide fans of L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G.™, Rainbow High™ and Na! Na! Na! Surprise™ the perfect combination of brand immersion and entertainment

Amsterdam, 19 of May 2022 – Azerion, the digital entertainment and media platform, today announced the launch of its global digital content partnership with MGA ENTERTAINMENT INC, one of the world’s largest private toy companies. The collaboration is set to bring the most popular MGA Entertainment brands to the casual gaming world and expand Azerion’s dominance in engaging the youth and teenage market globally.

Azerion will launch in the third quarter of 2022 a dedicated MGA Entertainment portal for all the games related to the family and teenage targeted content across brands including L.O.L. SURPRISE! O.M.G.™, RAINBOW HIGH™, and Na! Na! Na! Surprise™. This will cover the full cycle from production and distribution to monetization. A series of cross-platform branded games will be released across the Azerion distribution network, which includes Azerion’s gaming portals, telcos and mobile stores. Azerion is planning a series of marketing and event activities to expand the reach of the branded games and engage the fan community.

Azerion Logo

Azerion logo

With over 17,500 game titles already within Azerion’s content portfolio, the partnership will enable Azerion to further extend its footprint of bringing games to life to their family and teenage audience. Azerion will offer a quality gaming experience for end-users to interact with brands through the games. The platform will help connect MGA Entertainment’s well-known brands to 300,000+ advertisers.

Isaac Larian, CEO & Founder of MGA Entertainment, said:
“MGA Entertainment has a long history of creating successful consumer brands that resonate with kids and teenagers. Through this new partnership, we hope to provide fans of our popular toy characters with a series of casual games that bring them to life in a new dimension. Azerion’s platform and rich experience will centralize all key activities, opening a new window to gaming for us and strengthen our foothold in delivering unique experiences to our worldwide audience.”

Umut Akpinar, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Azerion, said:
“We have all watched the huge success of the likes of L.O.L. Surprise!, so we are excited to act as the partner of choice to MGA Entertainment on gamifying their brands and bringing quality games to this demographic. Azerion is dedicated to offering a quality gaming experience to end-users and developing deep interaction with brands. It will mark another important development in the targeting of this key market for us. We look forward to seeing how the addition of such iconic IPs to the portfolio raises engagement across our publishers’ networks and improves reach for advertisers.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About Azerion

Azerion is a high-growth digital entertainment and media platform. As a content-driven, technology and data company, Azerion serves consumers, digital publishers, advertisers and game creators globally. Azerion’s integrated platform provides technology solutions to automate the purchase and sale of digital advertising for media buyers and sellers, supported by in market sales and campaign management teams. Through our technology, content creators, digital publishers and advertisers work with Azerion to reach the millions of people across the globe that play Azerion’s games and view its distributed entertainment content to increase engagement, loyalty and drive e-commerce.
Founded in 2014 by two Dutch entrepreneurs, Azerion has experienced rapid expansion driven by organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Azerion is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and is a publicly traded company listed on Euronext Amsterdam.
For more information visit: www.azerion.com

About MGA Entertainment
MGA Entertainment is the fastest growing and largest privately held toy company in the US. MGA is headquartered in Chatsworth, California and creates innovative, proprietary and licensed consumer products and entertainment, including toys, games, dolls, apparel, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery and sporting goods. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!™, Little Tikes®, Rainbow High™, Bratz®, Na! Na! Na! Surprise™, Baby Born® Surprise and Zapf Creation®. Visit us at www.mgae.com.

For more information contact press@azerion.com

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May 19, 2022

Modulos Launches a Data-Centric AI Platform That Simplifies the Development of Trustworthy AI Applications

Modulos is releasing the first general data-centric AI platform that allows companies to quickly build accurate, fair, and robust AI/ML solutions. The ground-breaking platform empowers its users to focus on data quality for machine learning whilst welcoming the upcoming AI regulations in Europe.

Modulos Data-centric AI

ZURICH, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data-centric AI software company Modulos AG today announced the availability of its revolutionary data-centric AI platform. The platform enables companies to identify flaws in their data in a fraction of the time required by conventional data cleaning methods. These practical recommendations then help users build better AI/ML models based on the improved data.

Recent studies of how data scientists spend their time regularly highlight that curating data and then manually inspecting and cleaning it can take up to 80% of their time. (Ref: hbr.org) These efforts by highly trained specialists lengthen the time and increase the cost of AI/ML projects. Even with all this human effort spent on improving data quality, only 13% of AI/ML applications make it into production. (Ref: venturebeat.com)

The Modulos platform recommendations can reduce the time spent on data cleaning and quality checks by pinpointing exactly which data samples most affect the performance of AI models trained with them.

“The goal of data-centric AI is to shift the focus of AI development from fine-tuning models to curating better data. AI trained on flawed data can’t result in accurate and trustworthy models. That’s why most of the human effort in building AI systems should focus on data quality.”

– Kevin Schawinski, CEO of Modulos

The European Union is currently working on an EU AI Act which will set the global standard for how AI products and services must be developed and brought to market. Amongst the key requirements of this Act is that the data used to train AI is high quality, complete and fair.

Modulos gives users the tools to develop better and more fair AI applications in line with the coming regulatory requirements.

What is data-centric AI, and why is it so revolutionary?

This short video explains it all.

Data-centric AI – The difference between winners and losers

AI is a changing business, and data-centric AI will play a major role in its evolution. To emphasise the importance of AI, note what McKinsey said on this matter.

McKinsey estimates that AI will add $13 trillion to the global economy over the next decade, yet companies are still struggling to scale up their AI efforts. The difference between the winners and losers in this transformation will be determined not by whether you have implemented AI, but by how you have, and who you have involved in the process.

Modulos will demo their platform at a live webinar on 8 June, 17.00 CEST. Register here.

Media Contact – Steve Joyce – Marketing and Media Relations – steve.joyce@modulos.ai

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Image 1: Modulos Data-centric AI

Data quality for machine learning by Modulos

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Modulos Data-centric AI

May 19, 2022

Smart choice: US $100 million investment in SCRUBBER TECHNOLOGY paid off in 3 years with fuel savings benefits to Eagle Bulk Shipping

New Jersey-based CR Ocean Engineering outfitted most of Eagle’s fleet of supramaxes and ultramaxes.

CR Ocean Engineering

PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A 2018 strategic decision to install CR Ocean Engineering (CROE^®) Scrubbers has proven to be an environmentally sound and profitable decision for Connecticut-based Eagle Bulk Shipping (NASDAQ: EGLE) with an expected payback on investment by the year’s end.

According to a TradeWinds [https://bit.ly/3KkyLdO] interview with CEO Gary Vogel and Chief Strategy Officer Costa Tsoutsoplides, Eagle Bulk answered the MARPOL 2020 0.5% emissions ceiling with a strategic decision to invest in marine exhaust scrubber technology. A $100M investment equipped 47 ships with scrubbers — 89% of its fleet of supramaxes and ultramaxes.

Nicholas Confuorto, at the helm of CROE at the time, congratulated Eagle Bulk Shipping. “It brings us great satisfaction to have helped reduce emissions while helping our clients recoup their investment in our technology. Their vision is now paying off. As an additional benefit, this success comes at a lower carbon footprint than using low sulfur fuels.”

The numbers speak for themselves.

“With $60M of fuel savings back in its coffers and spreads between high-sulfur and low-sulfur fuels again on the rise, Eagle Bulk believes it can recoup its total outlay before 2022 is over.”

“We’re very happy with where we are, especially given the challenges of 2020 with Covid-19 and lower fuel spreads,” Mr. Vogel said.

Mr. Vogel praised the CROE scrubbers, saying that they “were performing well beyond expectations, with some even cleaning to a level of 0.1% sulfur rather than the mandated 0.5%…their reliability has been outstanding,” he said while praising CROE, the manufacturer of the scrubbing systems.

A broad range of studies has shown that using High Sulfur Fuel Oil with a scrubber results in a lower “well to wake” carbon footprint than using Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil or even MGO. A paper published by the Elsevier journal Transportation Research [https://bit.ly/3sR0exV] suggests the switch from high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) to very low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) may have increased global carbon output by 323 million metric tons per year — almost one-third of shipping’s carbon footprint — because of increased refinery emissions from the desulfurization process.

CROE scrubbers can be installed in new ships or retrofitted into existing fleets. “They are the perfect solution for cruisers, ferries, RoRos, and many other vessels,” Mr. Confuorto added.

ABOUT CR OCEAN ENGINEERING

CR Ocean Engineering, LLC offers its proven exhaust gas scrubbing technology as an economic alternative to the high-priced low sulfur fuel, providing the necessary reliability and the assurance of meeting the 0.1% sulfur fuel equivalency when burning high-sulfur, lower-cost fuels.

CR Ocean Engineering Exhaust Gas Scrubbing Technology: ideal for cruise ships, ferries, bulk carriers, containerships, RoRo and others.

Contact: dphilibert@croceanx.com
Tel. +1 (973) 455-0005, Ext. 123

www.croceanx.com
Privately held manufacturer of marine exhaust emissions technology, tracing its roots to 1917.

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Image 1: CR Ocean Engineering

CR Ocean Engineering LOGO

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CR Ocean Engineering

May 19, 2022

The Metals Company and Allseas Announce Successful Deepwater Commissioning of Riser Pipe and Jumper Hose Designed to Lift Polymetallic Nodules from Seafloor to Surface

Flexible Jumper Hose

Engineers prepare to deploy the flexible jumper hose over the side of the Hidden Gem, before connecting it to the base of the riser.

The riser and flexible jumper hose were deployed from the Hidden Gem vessel and the jumper connected to the robotic nodule collector vehicle at depths of around 745 meters.
This completes the acceptance test program for the vessel, nodule collector and riser system.
Upcoming trials in TMC’s NORI-D contract area are expected to include deployment of a four-kilometer-long riser, an umbilical that provides power and control during seafloor operations, and a 500-meter-long jumper hose to connect to the collector vehicle.

NEW YORK, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TMC the metals company Inc. (Nasdaq: TMC) (“TMC” or the “Company”), an explorer of the world’s largest estimated undeveloped source of critical battery metals, today announced the successful deployment of a riser system and flexible jumper hose which, alongside the robotic nodule collector vehicle, represent key components of the pilot nodule collection system designed by the Company’s strategic partner and shareholder, Allseas Group S.A. (“Allseas”).

Riser Pipe Assembly

Engineers inspect a section of the riser pipe aboard the Hidden Gem.

Engineers aboard the Hidden Gem vessel deployed the flexible jumper hose, connected it to the base of the riser and then launched the pilot riser, lowering the assembly to a depth of around 650m meters. Using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) installed on the Hidden Gem, engineers then made a sub-sea connection between the jumper hose and collector vehicle which was previously deployed to the seafloor in 745m water depth. Allseas used the derrick onboard the former drillship for at-sea construction of the pilot riser system which will ultimately extend to 4km deep when deployed later this year in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean.

Riser Pipe Sections

Individual sections of the riser pipe await assembly aboard the Hidden Gem.

The pilot system being tested by Allseas will be the basis for TMC’s first commercial production system, and in March the companies announced a non-binding term sheet outlining the terms for developing and operating the world’s first commercial system to collect deep-sea polymetallic nodules to meet surging demand for critical battery metals.

“Straight off the back of our collector trials, Allseas have once again shown why nobody else in the offshore business can think as big, or move as fast,” said Gerard Barron, CEO & Chairman of The Metals Company. “With the first deep-water deployment of the riser system and subsea connection between the collector and the riser successfully under our belts, we look forward to applying the lessons learned as we hook up and deploy the prototype collection system in the Pacific later this year.”

Riser Deployment

Allseas used the derrick onboard the former drillship for at-sea construction of the pilot riser system which will ultimately extend to 4km deep when deployed later this year in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean.

Since 2019, Allseas and TMC have been working together to develop a pilot system to responsibly collect unattached polymetallic nodules from the seafloor and lift them to the surface for transportation to shore. Nodules contain high grades of nickel, manganese, copper and cobalt — key metals required for building electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.

Previously, TMC and Allseas announced successful trials of the nodule collector vehicle in deep-water in the Atlantic [see video] as well as harbor wet-test commissioning and shallow-water drive tests in the North Sea. All trials to date are in preparation for full pilot nodule collection system trials later this year over an 8 km2 section of the NORI-D contract area in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. The trials are an integral part of the International Seabed Authority’s regulatory and permitting process and the environmental impact data collected both during and after the upcoming nodule collection test work, together with many terabytes of existing baseline data collected by TMC, will form the basis of the application for an exploitation contract by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nauru Ocean Resources, Inc. (NORI).

Development of technologies to collect polymetallic nodules first began in the 1970s when oil, gas and mining majors including Shell, Rio Tinto (Kennecott) and Sumitomo successfully conducted pilot test work in the CCZ, collecting over ten thousand tons of nodules. In the decades since, the ISA was established to develop the regulatory framework to govern mineral extraction in the high seas while technology development efforts have largely focused on scaling proven nodule collection technologies and optimizing for minimal seafloor disturbance and environmental impact.

About The Metals Company

TMC the metals company Inc. (The Metals Company) is an explorer of lower-impact battery metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: (1) supply metals for the clean energy transition with the least possible negative environmental and social impact and (2) accelerate the transition to a circular metal economy. The company through its subsidiaries holds exploration rights to three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean regulated by the International Seabed Authority and sponsored by the governments of Nauru, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga. More information is available at www.metals.co.

About Allseas
Allseas is a world-leading contractor in the offshore energy market, with dynamism, rapid progress and pioneering spirit at its core. Allseas specialise in offshore pipeline installation, heavy lift and subsea construction. The company employs over 4000 people worldwide and operates a versatile fleet of specialised heavy-lift, pipelay and support vessels, designed and developed in-house. More information about Allseas is available at www.allseas.com.

More Info
Media | media@metals.co.
Investors | investors@metals.co.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, including related to upcoming trials in TMC’s NORI-D contract area and future offshore operations. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside TMC’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: Allseas ability to conduct a full pilot nodule collection trial in the Clarion Clipperton Zone; TMC’s ability to enter into definitive agreement(s) with Allseas with respect to the proposed strategic alliance to develop and operate a commercial collection system on terms and conditionals substantially similar to those set forth in the non-binding terms sheet; the successful completion of the pilot collection tests; TMC’s ability to obtain exploitation contracts for its areas in the CCZ; regulatory uncertainties and the impact of government regulation and political instability on TMC’s resource activities; changes to any of the laws, rules, regulations or policies to which TMC is subject; the impact of extensive and costly environmental requirements on TMC’s operations; environmental liabilities; the impact of polymetallic nodule collection on biodiversity in the CCZ and recovery rates of impacted ecosystems; TMC’s ability to develop minerals in sufficient grade or quantities to justify commercial operations; the lack of development of seafloor polymetallic nodule deposit; uncertainty in the estimates for mineral resource calculations from certain contract areas and for the grade and quality of polymetallic nodule deposits; risks associated with natural hazards; uncertainty with respect to the specialized treatment and processing of polymetallic nodules that TMC may recover; risks associated with collective, development and processing operations; fluctuations in transportation costs; testing and manufacturing of equipment; risks associated with TMC’s limited operating history; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; risks associated with TMC’s intellectual property; and other risks and uncertainties, including those under Item 1A “Risk Factors” in TMC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, filed by TMC with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 25, 2022, and in TMC’s other future filings with the SEC. TMC cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. TMC cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. TMC does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based except as required by law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ee07ab7-e437-4139-8626-26c431172698

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af6762d8-1a67-4926-a040-af4a4ffba2cf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/83295f76-636d-4a28-b1cf-0f61e0278ec6

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/27da4aae-c8a7-4fc7-9883-e69c5367c3ea

May 19, 2022

EV Technology Group Prepares for Growth With Production of the First Electric MOKE

TORONTO, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EV Technology Group Ltd. (the “Company” or “EV Technology Group”) (NEO: EVTG, DE:B96A) announces today that production of the first fully Electric MOKE vehicle has been completed by MOKE International Limited (“MOKE International”) following investments by EV Technology Group in both MOKE International and its UK manufacturing partner.

EV Technology Group is an investor in, and strategic partner of, MOKE International, the official producer of MOKE vehicles since it acquired the original 1964 trademark and started production in 2015. The MOKE is an iconic car, first made famous by the likes of James Bond and Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s following which it became popular in destinations including the South of France, Australia and the Caribbean. With the release of this ground-breaking Electric MOKE, MOKE brings its iconic brand into the carbon-free future.

The Electric MOKE has been in design and development for over 3 years. It is being manufactured in the United Kingdom to the highest quality standards and is currently completing homologation testing requirements in Spain.

The first ‘Wave Blue’ Electric MOKE came off the production line today and will also be available in 4 additional launch colours, chosen to reflect its spiritual home next to clear waters and golden beaches. With the range expected to be officially verified as 120km, from a European-made lithium battery, the Electric MOKE is predominantly made from European parts, enabling tariff free export into the EU. The first production car is being shipped for demonstration purposes at Casa MOKE, MOKE France SAS’ flagship store in St Tropez, a legendary town on the French Riviera with a long historic association with the brand.

The Electric MOKE, now in production

“Seeing the first Electric MOKE vehicle come off the production line is a momentous step,” said Wouter Witvoet, Chief Executive Officer of EV Technology Group. “The MOKE is truly iconic and we are seeing high demand for this electric variant – particularly in the South of France. We are excited to be backing MOKE and helping take the first iconic brand in our portfolio into an electric future”.

“This is something very special,” said Isobel Dando, Chief Executive Officer of MOKE International. “The Electric MOKE Electric has been assembled in the UK to the highest of standards, following years of detailed design and development work. The Electric MOKE keeps true to the heart of the brand, but its electrification makes this a vehicle that is ready for the future”.

“This moment signals the next great chapter in MOKE’s extraordinary legacy. From the moment MOKE International brought the marque home to the UK we have been committed to delivering MOKE’s unique marriage of fun and freedom under clean-air power,” continued Isobel Dando. “These cars are now in production at our partner’s state-of-the-art UK facility and ready for delivery to customers. We are proud to ensure the legacy of one of Britain’s best loved and most compelling automotive icons through electrification.”

EV Technology Group

EV Technology Group was founded in 2021 with the vision to electrify iconic brands – and the mission of redefine the joy of motoring for the electric age. By acquiring iconic brands and bringing beloved motoring experiences to the electric age, EV Technology Group is driving the EV revolution forward. Backed by a diversified team of passionate entrepreneurs, engineers and driving enthusiasts, EV Technology Group creates value for its customers by owning the total customer experience — acquiring and partnering with iconic brands with significant growth potential in unique markets, and controlling end-to-end capabilities. To learn more visit: https://evtgroup.com/

MOKE

MOKE and the MOKE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of MOKE International Limited in the European Union and other territories. MOKE International, a company registered in England, is the only manufacturer of genuine MOKE vehicles worldwide. The mark was acquired from Casti S.p.A. and derives from the original 1964 British Motor Corporation registration. MOKE France is the official French licensee. For more information visit: https://mokeinternational.com

Media
Rachael D’Amore
rachael@talkshopmedia.com
+1519-564-9850

Investor Relations
Dave Gentry
dave@redchip.com
+14074914498

EV Technology Group
Wouter Witvoet
CEO and Chairman of the Board
wouter@evtgroup.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, production of the Electric MOKE, range of the Electric MOKE, homologation testing requirements in Spain, MOKE International and EV Technology Group operations, expectations, and future actions. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as “estimated”, “potential”, “open”, “future”, “assumed”, “projected”, “used”, “detailed”, “has been”, “gain”, “planned”, “reflecting”, “will”, “containing”, “remaining”, “to be”, or statements that events, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements, including those factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in the 2021 Annual Information Form of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except where required by law. There can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

THE NEO STOCK EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

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May 19, 2022

Notarc Acquires the Panama Canal Container Port Terminal and Will Resume Construction of the $1.4 Billion Project

A JOINT VENTURE WAS SIGNED WITH ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE CONTAINER TERMINAL OPERATORS, TERMINAL INVESTMENT LIMITED (TiL), TO BUILD LATIN AMERICA’S MOST MODERN TRANSSHIPMENT PORT WITH A CAPABILITY TO HANDLE UP TO FIVE (5) MILLION TEUs

PCCP Transshipment Port Project

PANAMA CITY, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Notarc Management Group (NMG), a LatAm-focused private investment and asset management firm, which last year launched its Panama Development Fund (PDF) and has led significant investments across the Caribbean and Latin America over several decades, has announced the acquisition and finalization of plans for the completion of the Panama Canal Container Port (PCCP), a $1.4 billion modern port facility. The project is already forty percent (40%) completed and is slated to resume construction by the fourth quarter of 2022. NMG is partnering with Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), an affiliate of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), today the largest shipping line in the world, and will also undertake management and oversee operations of the modernized transshipment facility that is expected to handle 2.5 million TEUs in its initial years and grow to a capacity of 5 million TEUs.

“Notarc Management Group’s core mission is to align with strategic capital partners, investors, and leading multinational firms in supporting and expanding innovation, technology, infrastructure, and sustainable initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean. This is our first major port initiative in Panama and sets the stage for other key investment opportunities we are pursuing across the region,” noted Leslie C. Bethel, CEO Notarc Management Group, during meetings held on the sidelines of the Bloomberg New Economy Conference together with its key investment partners and Panamanian officials at the PCCP development site in the Republic of Panama.

“We are delighted to be here for this special occasion and to commit to the partnership with Notarc, the Panamanian Government and, most importantly, the people of Panama. We are no strangers to Panama and our undertakings today cement our further belief that The Americas will continue to grow and prosper through the advent of trade and logistics. The pandemic has evidenced that our business is essential. Our Shareholders are committed to this industry for the long term. We are also grateful to Notarc for allowing us to bring our global operational expertise to this development as we continue to expand our footprint in the Americas,” noted Ammar Kannan, CEO, Terminal Investments Limited.

“Panama is an ideal gateway hub in the Americas and the World. This acquisition is a strategic opportunity for us to further develop and integrate a regional logistics platform while investing in assets which are synergistic to our investment model and where innovation and location offer an incomparable business footprint in the region,” said Dion L. Bowe, Managing Partner of NMG Latin America and the newly appointed CEO of PCCP.

In addition to the transshipment port, Notarc has entered into a memorandum of understanding with U.S.-based SGP BioEnergy (SGP) to construct and develop a major bioenergy facility and other logistics infrastructure at the Colon project. “SGP is excited to join Notarc in the development of these transformational projects for Panama and the region. This project led by Notarc is well positioned to capitalize on its unique logistics position and alliance with SGP in the global energy transition,” said Randy Delbert Letang, CEO of SGP BioEnergy.

“We welcome this investment by Notarc and its partners and look forward to their re-commencing of the construction, which will generate 1,800 jobs for the people of Colon and Panama. The Panama Canal is one of the most strategic locations in the World for logistics infrastructure investments. The companies’ plans to develop a biofuels energy facility and distribution hub to support the World’s energy transition is consistent with the goals of my administration while also attracting new FDI and ensuring that Panama is a global leader in the logistics and renewable energy sectors,” said Laurentino Cortizo, President of the Republic of Panama.

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About Notarc Management Group
Notarc Management Group comprises leading investment and asset management professionals in UK, Europe, Panama, Asia, The Bahamas, and The United States. As an advisory and private equity firm, Notarc Management Group focuses exclusively on asset class opportunity investments in real estate, hospitality, logistics, technology and infrastructure in the Americas; while maintaining its core focus on stabilized and key strategic markets within Latin America and The Caribbean.

Notarc provides expert local knowledge and asset management oversight while aligning with sovereign funds, institutional and private equity firms and global family offices to invest capital via its various opportunity fund SPV’s including the Panama Development Fund. For more information, visit www.notarc.com.

About MSC
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is a global leader in transportation and logistics, privately owned and founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. The company has evolved from a one-vessel operation into a globally respected business with a 700-vessel fleet and over 110,000 staff providing timely delivery of goods and services to customers of all industries and sizes. Present in 155 countries through 600 offices, MSC calls at 500 ports on 250+ trade routes, carrying some 23 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually. MSC’s activities now include overland transportation, logistics and a growing portfolio of port terminal investments. For more information, visit www.msc.com.

About Terminal Investment Limited (TiL)
Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) invests in, develops and manages container terminals around the world. It was founded in 2000, and since then, it has grown to become one of the largest and most geographically diverse container terminal operators globally, with a portfolio that includes interests in some 60 container terminals across five continents. TiL always seeks to be the safest, most productive and most environmentally responsible, while placing people at the core of everything it does and conducting its business with unassailable integrity. TiL’s terminals have been selected for their important and strategic locations around the world, including major origin and destination and transshipment trade hubs and gateways in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and West Africa. For more information, visit www.tilgroup.com.

For further information on Notarc Management Group, please contact:
Mr. Dion L. Bowe
Managing Partner Latin America
Notarc Management Group
Email: dion@notarc.com

Rendering of Panama Canal Contianer Port Project

Image 2: Notarc TiL MSC – Official Joint Venture Signing, Republic of Panama

Notarc and TiL Executives – Seated L to R: Mr. Leslie Bethel, CEO – Notarc Management Group, Mr. Romain Simon, CIO TIL, Mr. Dion Bowe, CEO – Notarc Port Investment; Back Row – Panamanian Ministers and Officials

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PCCP Transshipment Port Project

May 19, 2022

Centrient Pharmaceuticals announces its achievement of a significant milestone in the clean production of antibiotics

Being the first company to publicly announce 100% PNEC compliance for its entire oral antibiotics product range

Rijswijk, The Netherlands, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Summary

Centrient Pharmaceuticals reached a significant milestone in the clean production of its antibiotics, with the lowest environmental impact and minimizing the potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance
The company is the first to publicly announce that Its entire supply chain of oral antibiotics – including its own and supplier manufacturing sites – is fully compliant with the stringent Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC) discharge targets set by the AMR Industry Alliance
This achievement demonstrates Centrient Pharmaceuticals’ commitment and leadership in the responsible production of antibiotics.

Centrient Pharmaceuticals announces 100% compliance with the stringent Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC) discharge targets set by the AMR Industry Alliance for clean manufacturing of its full oral antibiotics product range. This standard covers both Centrient’s sites and its suppliers’ sites. This achievement positions the company as a frontrunner in the industry with the delivery of responsibly-produced antibiotics, which minimize the possible contribution to antimicrobial resistance.

The PNEC discharge target is the concentration of an antibiotic in water at which there is unlikely to be a risk of adverse environmental effects or of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) developing. These scientific, risk-based targets were developed by the AMR Industry Alliance and cover around 120 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in antibiotic manufacturing. Each individual antibiotic has a corresponding PNEC value, published in the AMR Industry Alliance table of Recommended PNECs for Risk Assessments (updated periodically).

High concentrations of antibiotic residues in factory wastewater can create hotspots of resistant bacteria which may lead to AMR. While manufacturing is just one of the contributors to the emergence of AMR in the environment, its impact cannot be overlooked. AMR is a major threat to global public health as well as to the healthcare industry. Many standard medical procedures such as organ transplants, chemotherapy, and surgeries such as caesarean sections become much more dangerous without effective antibiotics to prevent and treat infections. Antibiotics are the cornerstone of our modern healthcare system, and complying with PNEC standards enables manufacturers to ensure supply of these critically important medicines does not contribute to the risk of AMR.

The PNEC values are increasingly being recognized as the standard for antibiotic discharge concentrations in water and are expanding beyond Alliance companies and their supply chains. For example, tenders in the UK and Germany (health insurer AOK) include a specific reference to the PNEC discharge targets. Also, companies assessed externally by organizations such as the Access to Medicine Foundation will have public exposure for their performance on PNECs.

As a strong advocate for sustainable manufacturing, Centrient Pharmaceuticals became a founding board member of the AMR Industry Alliance in 2017, working with partners to raise awareness and deliver solutions to the AMR issue. Since then, the company’s own journey to reaching full compliance has included establishing state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facilities at all their sites worldwide and developing tests for measuring antibiotic activity in wastewater streams, leading to a fully clean and PNEC-compliant supply chain.

“We are proud to be the first in our industry to publicly announce PNEC compliance for our oral antibiotics product supply chain.

At Centrient Pharmaceuticals, our commitment to Sustainability is in our DNA – we ensure that the way in which we produce pharmaceuticals has the lowest environmental impact and does not contribute to AMR. We are proud of our PureActives® enzymatic low-carbon technology, ISO 14001 certification of all our sites, and Board positions at the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative and AMR Industry Alliance.

We will continue to work with customers, suppliers, industry and government decision-makers across the value chain to make the supply and buying of antibiotics sustainable to curb AMR.”, says Rex Clements, CEO at Centrient Pharmaceuticals.

Read our whitepaper ‘Manufacturing sustainable antibiotics for the future’ here.

About Centrient Pharmaceuticals

Centrient Pharmaceuticals is the global leader in the production and commercialisation of sustainable antibiotics, next-generation statins, and anti-fungals. We produce and sell intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage forms.

We stand proudly at the centre of modern healthcare, as a maker of essential and life-saving medicines. With our commitment to Quality, Reliability and Sustainability at the heart of everything we do, our over 2,200 employees work continuously to meet our customers’ needs. We work towards a sustainable future by actively participating in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Founded 150 years ago as the ‘Nederlandsche Gist- en Spiritusfabriek’, our company was known as Gist Brocades and more recently DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Rijswijk (Netherlands), we have production facilities and sales offices in China, India, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States and Mexico. Centrient Pharmaceuticals is wholly owned by Bain Capital Private Equity, a leading global private investment firm.

For more information please visit www.centrient.com or contact Centrient Pharmaceuticals Corporate Communications, Alice Beijersbergen, Director Branding & Communications. E-Mail: alice.beijersbergen@centrient.com.
About the AMR Industry Alliance

The AMR Industry Alliance was formed in 2017. With approximately 100 life sciences companies and trade associations, it represents nearly one-third of the volume of sales and the majority of all novel products. Members have committed to report on activities they are undertaking in the areas of research & science, access to antibiotics and appropriate use of these, as well as responsible environmental manufacturing to tackle the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance. If AMR remains unchecked, the annual death toll could climb from 700,000 each year to 10 million by 2050 and the economic impacts could be on par with those of the 2008 financial crisis. The AMR Industry Alliance ensures that signatories collectively deliver on the specific commitments made in the Industry Declaration on AMR and the Roadmap for Progress on Combating AMR and measures progress made in the fight against AMR.
Forward-looking statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to Centrient Pharmaceuticals’ future financial performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of Centrient and information currently available to the company. Centrient cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance and position to differ materially from these statements. Centrient has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. The English language version of the press release is governing.

Alice Beijersbergen
Centrient Pharmaceuticals
+31 (6) 823 579 56
alice.beijersbergen@centrient.com