A company with just nine employees was last night presented with a marine award by the Duke of Edinburgh. Sword Aberdeen, of Aberdeen, which designs firefighting and protection equipment, won the Seatrade Organisation's safety at sea award for its production of a special water spray nozzle. The nozzle is designed to protect oil workers in the case of an accident on a rig.

The Seatrade award for countering marine pollution went to Swiss firm Rochem Group SA for its work in dispersing waste water from vessels. The innovation award was won by Denmark's Man B&W Diesel for a fuel concept that reduces pollution from shuttle tankers.