Italian Delegation in talks on Plan for Marine Projects of the Civil Protection Department

The Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr. Joe Mizzi, met a Delegation of the Corpo delle Capitanerie di Porto, headed by Admiral Renato Ferraro, General Commandant for the Marine projects pertaining to the Malta Civil Protection Plan. This project is financed under the Fourth Financial Protocol between the Italian and the Maltese Governments. The meeting was held at the Office of the Prime Minister, today, Wednesday 19^th November 1997.

Minister Mizzi mentioned the excellent co-operation existing between the two countries in the development of Civil Protection and the necessity of increased collaboration, so that the two countries may further co-ordinate their marine activities, in the field of search and rescue, oil pollution control, fire-fighting at sea and salvage.

The aim of this project is to create a structure capable of controlling and providing the necessary assistance in marine emergencies such as:-

• coastal and off-shore oil pollution accidents
• a marine fire-fighting unit
• a salvage unit
• a search and rescue unit

The Department of Civil Protection procured four vessels during 1997 costing Lm4.5million as hereunder :-

• 2 Search & Rescue Vessels
• 1 medium-sized Fire-Fighting Patrol Boat
• 1 large Tug for Fire-Fighting/Oil Pollution Control and Salvage Work

Admiral Ferraro said that the Capitanerie di Porto would be helping the Civil Protection Department in the setting up of a Marine Unit and in the necessary operational systems for the four vessels recently procured by the Department.

Present for the meeting were Dott. Marco Colombo, the Italian Ambassador for Malta, Mr. Louis Cilia, Permanent Secretary - Home Affairs, and Mr. Joe Micallef, Director - Civil Protection.