The arrival of GARIBALDI - a medium size Multi-Purpose Fire Fighting Boat for the Civil Protection Department / Il-wasla tal-GARIBALDI - Bastiment ta' daqs medju ghall-uzu tat-tifi tan-Nar u funzjonijiet ohra, ghad-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Civili

The medium size fire-fighting vessel Garibaldi arrived in Malta today at about 1400 and docked at the Vittoriosa Wharf (in front of the Maritime Museum). With the arrival of Garibaldi today the Civil Protection project financed by the Italian Government is now complete.

The whole project consisted of 27 brand new fire-engines, one multi-purpose large fire-fighting tug boat (Sea Salvor), one medium fire-fighting vessel (Garibaldi), two small SAR boats (Melita I and Melita II), other equipment and construction of other fire-stations. This project cost Lm7 million and is considered as the flagship of the fourth financial protocol between the Malta and Italy.

This boat which is made of light alloy aluminium construction, (similar to that of the SAR boats) is about 22m long and is expected to have a maximum speed of about 22 knots.

The primary role of this boat is for quick and prompt intervention of fire fighting of medium size yachts up to large passenger ships, tankers and also for the fighting of oil/petroleum terminals. It is also designed to combat oil pollution of significant quantities and can also lay booms. The boat can also assist in the salvage operation of stranded/grounded vessels.

The hull is considered to be of good quality workmanship while the main equipment is of renowned European suppliers in the marine field.

The Maltese government named this ship after the Italian statesman Giuseppe Garibaldi, as a sign of appreciation for the Italians to finance the construction of this boat as a part of the Fourth financial protocol.

The ship was constructed at the Vittoria shipyards, which are authorised suppliers of The Italian Navy, the Merchant-Marine Coastguard, The Ministry of the Interior, The Ministry of Transport and navigation, the Customs Service, and the Ministry of Public Works.

The building contract was signed on 28^th August 1997 at a cost of Lm 1,193,000.

Il-wasla tal-GARIBALDI - Bastiment ta' daqs medju ghall-uzu tat-tifi tan-Nar u funzjonijiet ohra, ghad-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Civili

Il-bastiment Garibaldi tad-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Civili - wasal Malta llum ghal habta tas-2.00 p.m. fix-Xatt tal-Birgu. Il-Garibaldi huwa bastiment ta' daqs medju li jintuza ghat-tifi tan-nar. Bil-wasla tieghu, il-progett tad-Dipartiment tal-Protezzjoni Civili li kien iffinanzjat mill-Gvern Taljan, issa tlesta kollu.

Il-progett kollu kien jikkonsisti fix-xiri ta' 27 fire-engines godda fjamanti, dghajsa ta' l-irmonk kbira li tintuza wkoll ghat-tifi tan-nar (Sea Salvor), bastiment ta' daqs medju ghat-tifi tan-nar (Garibaldi), zewg dghajjes zghar SARs (Melita I u Melita II), taghmir iehor u xoghol fuq kostruzzjoni u estensjoni ta' fire-stations. Il-Progett kollu gie jiswa lill-Gvern Taljan mas-Lm7 miljun u huwa meqjus bhala l-flagship tar-raba' protokoll finanzjarju bejn Malta u l-Italja.

Dan il-bastiment, maghmul u mahdum bl-alloy aluminium hafif, huwa twil madwar 22 metru u jtella' heffa ta' 22 knots.

Ir-rwol ewlieni ta' dan il-bastiment huwa biex jintervjeni b'heffa f'kazi ta' incendji fuq jottijiet ta' daqs medju jew fuq bastimenti tal-passiggieri, tankers taz-zejt, u anke fuq "rigs" taz-zejt. Il-bastiment huwa ddisinjat ukoll ghal kontra t-tniggiz taz-zejt fi kwantitajiet kbar u jista' wkoll jifrex booms li jillimitaw il-firxa taz-zejt fil-bahar. Il-bastiment jista' wkoll jghin biex jigu salvati u rmunkati bastimenti ohra f'diffikultajiet fuq il-bahar.

Il-qafas tal-vapur huwa mahdum b'sengha kbira filwaqt li t-taghmir principali ingieb minn suppliersEwropej, ewlenin fil-qasam marittimu.

Il-Gvern Malti semma lil dan il-vapur wara l-istatista Taljan Giuseppe Garibaldi, bhala rikonoxximent lejn it-Taljani li ffinanzjaw dan il-progett, bhala parti mir-raba' protokoll finanzjarju bejn iz-zewg pajjizi.

Il-bastiment inbena fit-tarzna Vittoria, li huma t-tarznara ufficjali li jaghmlu xoghol ghall-Marina Taljana, ghall-Guardia Costiera, ghad-Dwana Taljana u ghall-Ministeri tal-Intern, Trasport u Navigazzjoni u x-Xoghlijiet Pubblici fl-Italja.

Il-kuntratt tal-bini tal-bastimenti gie ffirmat fit-28 t'Awissu 1997 u sewa b'kollox Lm1,193,000.