Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1086539
BUSINESS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 FEBRUARY 2019 12 M/V Saint John Paul II – the hi-tech Malta/ Sicily high speed sea connection M/V Saint John Paul II, (Hull 089) ar- rives in Malta this morning after a 17,780 kilometre, 20-day journey from Tasmania to Malta. The vessel's maid- en voyage saw her crossing the Indian Ocean, calling at the ports of Fremantle in Western Australia and Colombo in Sri Lanka for refuelling, before passing Somalia, at the Eastern tip of Africa, to transit the length of the Red Sea where she called at the last refuelling port of Jeddah before entering the Mediterra- nean via the Suez Canal. The last leg of the journey, Port Said to Valletta, was covered in 30 hours. The vessel will be deployed on the Malta/Sicily route in March 2019. Saint John Paul II was built to con- form not only to the obligatory Inter- national Maritime Organisation High- Speed Craft Code 2000 but also to The EU Directive 1999/35/EC of the Euro- pean Maritime Safety Agency of the European Commission. The newbuild also conforms with the EU Maritime Green Policy, the European response to the new genera- tion of ocean strategies based on sci- ence, technology and innovation. The shipbuilders, Incat, are acknowledged world leaders in design and construc- tion of high speed vessels, who pride themselves in building the fastest, ef- ficient, environmentally clean, high speed vessels in the world. Saint John Paul II is powered by four MTU engines generating a total of 36.4 Mega Watts. These state-of-the- art engines meet IMO Marpol Annex VI Tier II standards which regulate exhaust gas emissions, with the aim of reducing local and global air pollution. Four Wärtsilä waterjets give the vessel a cruising speed in excess of 38 knots (over 70.4 km/hour) With a deadweight of 1,000 tons, capacity for 900 passengers in five lounges, and a garage that takes 167 cars or 23 trailers, Saint John Paul II will be the largest High Speed RoPax Catamaran operating in the Mediter- ranean and the second largest in the world. Saint John Paul II, is the fifth new- build, and 11th high speed vessel, de- livered to Virtu since the commence- ment of the high speed ferry service between Malta and Sicily in 1988. The company has invested in excess of €175 million in high speed vessels that have, at some time, been operated on the Malta/Sicily route, effectively revolutionising the carriage of pas- sengers and cargo between the neigh- bouring islands. Virtu currently also operate high speed vessels on inter- national routes between Venice and Adriatic Ports in Slovenia and Croatia as well as Tarifa, Spain to Tangier in Morocco. Virtu Ferries are acknowledged in- ternationally as pioneering operators of high speed passengers and cargo ferries. In times of humanitarian cri- sis, Virtu have operated their vessels on time-charter to the Governments of Australia, the USA, Italy, and Malta and international corporations and institutions such as the International Red Cross and Medicins Sans Frontier. The vessel is named after Saint John Paul II. Virtu Ferries had the honour of welcoming HH Pope John Paul II on board ACC San Frangisk, on that momentous return voyage between Grand Harbour, Valletta, St Paul's Is- lands and Gozo on 27 May 1990. Like all other Virtu high speed ves- sels, the Saint John Paul II will fly the Malta Flag and is certified for inter- national voyages by the International Classification Society, DNV GL. M/V Saint John Paul II will be the largest High Speed RoPax Catamaran operating in the Mediterranean and the second largest in the world Issue of the new Europa Series €100 and €200 banknotes THE new €100 and €200 banknotes, the last two denominations of the Eu- ropa Series, will enter into circulation on 28 May 2019. The new €100 and €200 banknotes make use of new and innovative se- curity features. Just like the other de- nominations, the new notes are easy to check when using the "feel, look and tilt" method. At the top of the silvery stripe a sat- ellite hologram shows small € symbols that move around the number and be- come clearer under direct light. The silvery stripe also shows the portrait of Europa, the architectural motif and a large € symbol. The new banknotes al- so feature an enhanced emerald num- ber. While the emerald number itself is present on all the other notes of the Europa series, this enhanced version also shows € symbols inside the nu- merals. The new €100 and €200 notes are of a different size to the old €100 and €200 notes. Both denominations are now of the same height as the €50 bank- note. However, their length remains unchanged – the longer the note, the higher the value. Since the €50, €100 and €200 banknotes are now of the same height, they can be more easily handled and processed by machines. They will also fit better in people's wallets and last longer, as they will be subject to less wear and tear. In addition to the security features that can be seen with the naked eye, euro banknotes also contain machine- readable security features. On the new €100 and €200 banknotes these fea- tures have been enhanced, and new ones have been added to enable the notes to be processed and authenticat- ed swiftly. With the changeover to the new €100 and €200 the entire set of euro banknotes will continue to offer strong protection against counterfeit- ing. This makes euro banknotes even more secure, but also easier to check and handle. The Eurosystem – the ECB and the 19 euro area national central banks – is supporting manufacturers and own- ers of banknote-handling machines and authentication devices in prepar- ing for the new banknotes. This in- cludes facilitating equipment testing and publishing a list of banknote-pro- cessing machines which have success- fully demonstrated that they can pro- cess the new banknotes of the Europa series. Consequently the Central Bank of Malta advises all local commercial enterprises handling cash to contact the suppliers and manufacturers of their banknote-handling machines and authentication devices in order to upgrade them without any delay, to ensure that they only accept genuine banknotes. The Bank is available to provide sup- port, including training to any local entities which may require such as- sistance and information on the new €100 and €200 banknotes. All those requiring assistance should contact the Central Bank of Malta on 2550 6010/12/13 or by sending an e- mail to the Bank's e-mail address in- fo@centralbankmalta.org.