Malta Maritime Pilots to invest €3 million in new training facility

A new maritime training facility is to be built in Hal Far through a €3 million investment by Malta Maritime Pilots (MMP).

The centre, branded as MaritimeMT, will offer roughly 47 courses spanning different sectors of the maritime sector, with a specific emphasis on the fast-growing super yacht industry.

The announcement was made during a conference on safe ports and the development of excellence organised by the MMP. Addressing the conference Infrastructure and Transport minister Ian Borg stressed that the government intended to continue working to improve the positive international reputation of the Maltese maritime sector.

He stressed that the industry could not continue growing without the dedication of maritime pilots, who he commended for their dedication to the sector and their willingness to come up with new initiatives.

The minister said that a trained workforce was essential for the industry to continue growing, adding that the new training centre would open up a number of new opportunities in the sector.  This was especially true, given that Malta’s ports were becoming busier, and were having the deal with bigger ever-increasing vessel sizes.

MaritimeMT marketing and operations manager Joseph Meli said the courses will be aimed at maritime pilots as well as other seafarers and shore-based industry workers.

The MMP wanted to nurture a maritime culture in Malta, and the setting up of the centre was one step in this direction, Meli said. The new training centre, he said, would be hosting a number of simulators, including two full-bridge simulators, which could be used by those working in the industry for training purposes. He said work on the facility had already begun and was expected to be completed in on time in 2019.

Moreover, he stressed that the courses to be offered by the centre would be accredited DNV GL – an international accredited registrar and classification society, as well as Transport Malte. MaritimeMT is also in talks with the National Commission for Further and Higher Education.