Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512576
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2023 9 COMMERCIAL Palumbo Shipyards open day was a resounding success with 5,000 attendees PALUMBO Shipyards' Open Day on Sunday, November 26, attracted 5,000 participants. The event provided a unique op- portunity for visitors to witness firsthand shipyard operations in a safe and family-friendly en- vironment while experiencing various forms of entertainment throughout the day. All guests who attended Sun- day's event had the opportunity to have a much closer look at the ongoing operations at Palumbo Malta Shipyards. At the shipyard's commercial side, there were seven vessels; four in dry docks and three at berth, all of them engaged in carrying out major maintenance works. At the Superyachts fa- cility, two mega yachts were undergoing major refit works in the dock, and three other su- peryachts, one of which - a 100m - were being refitted at berth. An additional three superyachts were undergoing their mainte- nance period on the hard, which were lifted ashore with a 400- ton travel lift. The open environ- ment allowed families to explore shipyard operations, gaining in- sight into the processes involved and the safety measures taken on a daily basis. Visitors were able to experi- ence the yards' commitment to sustainability and learn more about operational environmen- tal practices. These included the installation of photovoltaic panels that allow the production of clean energy with which the shipyard powers its operations, to energy efficiency, and how the adoption of Hydrojetting, facili- tated by acquiring 20 advanced Hammelmann machines, has revolutionized the boat surface treatment processes, as well as the pioneering use of AirLite paint. Participants had also the chance to admire Palumbo Ship- yard's evolving urban forest in Malta—home to cypress, palm, and olive trees. This green haven is the shipyard's commitment to sustainability, set to flourish and contribute to its goal of full sus- tainability by 2030. Participants had the oppor- tunity to explore workshops, docks, and other areas, which are usually reserved, during in- formative tours. These visits provided a deeper understand- ing of the daily operations of Palumbo Shipyards and the mechanisms involved in ship re- pair and maintenance. The Palumbo Shipyards Open Day was not only an exploration of maritime excellence but also a celebration of Maltese talent. Renowned artists such as Ivan Grech, Kantera, Freddy Portelli, Joe Demicoli, Claudia and Fab- rizio Faniello, Kevin Paul, Kurt Calleja, as well as id-Dulli and Veronica, performed on stage throughout the day. The event featured an icon- ic Ferrari car as well as special models of supercars. Partici- pants were able to admire the cars up close during the Open Day. The little ones had their own dedicated space in the chil- dren's play area, with train rides through the yard, Flyboard shows, a soccer field to practice with local teams, BMX exhibi- tions and other engaging activ- ities. Families enjoyed a day of fun and excitement. Palumbo Shipyards extends its gratitude to the community for making the Open Day a re- sounding success and looks for- ward to future opportunities to connect with the public. Prestigious awards for Farsons beers at Brussels Beer Challenge THE Brussels Beer Challenge, now in its 12th edition, has once again recognised three Far- sons Brewery beers in this year's competition which took place in Turnhout, in the heart of the Ant- werp Campine between 29 and 31 October. Blue Label Amber Ale was awarded gold in the Pale&Am- ber Ale: Strong/Extra Special Bit- ter category whilst Double Red Strong Ale was awarded bronze in the Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Amber category. Cisk Strong was awarded silver in the Lager: Ger- man-Style Helles/Mailbock/Dop- plebock category. This year's edition saw 1,811 beers from 37 different countries. With 400 beers, Belgium had the largest number of entries, ahead of Italy (224), France (158), the United States (143), China (133), Brazil (128), and Germany (103). Notable this year were the excep- tional entries from Ghana, Ecua- dor, South Korea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mali. The Brussels Beer Challenge is the first professional beer compe- tition in Belgium and was created by Becomev (Beer Communica- tions & Events) under the lead- ership of Luc De Raedemaeker and Thomas Costenoble in 2012 in response to the growing inter- est in beer culture. The competi- tion offers brewers from around the world a unique opportunity to compete with the best Belgian beers. Blue Label Amber Ale was orig- inally launched in 1928 and has won numerous awards over the years whilst Double Red Strong Ale is a more recent addition to the Farsons Classic Brews range which also includes the up-and- coming Green Hop IPA. Cisk Strong is a 9% ABV strong la- ger forming part of the Specialty range of the Cisk portfolio. All beers are brewed, distributed and marketed by Simonds Far- sons Cisk plc. R & I projects with an investment of €2.7M from local funds showcased by MCST THE Malta Council for Science and Technology has launched Engage: Science and Enterprise; the first edition of the R&I Days intended as an event to engage science and enterprise. The se- ries of events over two days on the 23rd and 24th of November have brought together different researchers to showcase their successful research and inno- vative projects within various sectors. In front of the Parlia- mentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti, a total of 15 projects spanning across various sectors were showcased, ranging from Health, including Cancer research, Resource Efficiency, High-Value-Added Manufactur- ing, Aviation, and Sustainable Use of Maritime Resources, were pre- sented. The projects coming from different thematic areas obtained up to €2.7M in local funding, from the national FUSION pro- gramme as well as the Interna- tionalisation Programmes such as the SINO-Malta Fund, the MCST-TUBITAK and the BLUE- BIO ERA-NET Co-Fund. The programme included a thorough explanation of the research pro- cess, an exhibition of prototypes, and panels of speakers which were composed of project coordina- tors, representatives of different projects, as well as members from the private sector, the academia, and public sector. They addressed several areas identified in Mal- ta's Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021-2027 which lays out the gov- ernment's clear priorities for in- vestment in innovation and iden- tifies areas of potential growth. The Parliamentary Secretary Az- zopardi Tanti opened the event by thanking all the stakeholders who benefitted from the national fund- ing under the guidance of MCST. "You, as stakeholders, are all part of the expansion process in the R & I industry in Malta. The govern- ment, as you saw in the budget a few weeks ago, is constantly in- creasing its investment in R & I, ultimately in you, because we be- lieve that you can be the change we need for economic growth and a better quality of life," said Azzo- pardi Tanti. For further information and reg- istration one can follow: https:// www.engagemalta.com