THE MINISTRY FOR TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION, SPORT, YOUTH, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Viva Malta National Offshore Sailing Boat launched

The Viva Malta National Offshore Sailing Boat, which will provide an opportunity for Maltese sailors to compete in the international offshore circuit, has been officially launched. ​​

The launch was held at the Mediterranean Maritime Hub and presided over by Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Aaron Farrugia and Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima, together with Yachting Malta and Sports Malta. The sailing boat was blessed by Mons. Victor Grech.

Viva Malta will now be passed on to Sport Malta and Malta Sailing Federation, who will work together to administer this initiative.

Minister Aaron Farrugia said that the Viva Malta National Offshore Sailing Boat concept has been made possible through an investment of approximately €400,000, born through an initiative submitted by Yachting Malta with the full support of the government. “This project ties in well with the rehabilitation of this large harbour area which is currently being managed by the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation (GHRC), as well as the National Yachting Policy which is currently being drawn up together with all stakeholders involved in the yachting sector,” Minister Farrugia said.

Minister Clifton Grima stated that, “The ministry and Sport Malta are always seeking to find means and opportunities to support our sportsmen. The initiative we are launching is one of the various projects that are currently ongoing, in this case we are giving our support to sportsmen and a sports discipline that has registered great progress in these last years. I hope that through this initiative we will record more successes both on a personal basis for the sportsmen involved as well as on a national scale”.

Yachting Malta CEO Michael Mifsud said that, “This was a dream of Yachting Malta to spearhead a project whereby Malta will have its own Offshore Sailing Project, to compete in the international offshore circuit. We firmly believe that this project stands to promote Malta as a centre of excellence in yachting.”

Sport Malta CEO Mark Cutajar stated that, “Today, we will have the passage of transfer from Yachting Malta to Sport Malta so that the entity passes Viva Malta to Malta Sailing Federation, so that more children and young people continue to approach the sport of sailing which has always been synonymous with us Maltese through the Rolex Middle Sea Race and other various competitions.”

 

 

Source: Office of the Prime Minister