A Maltese cooperative that is specialised in the piloting of vessels for ship-to-ship transfers was this afternoon presented with its official registration certification.

Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi praised the five pilots who formed the cooperative saying they had recognised a niche they could be successful in and were making a success of it.

Dr Azzopardi said that most of the cooperatives he visited showed a great enthusiasm for work which, together with the extraordinary capabilities of Maltese workers and creativity in business, led to major successes.

The Professional Nautical Services Coop Ltd, set up last September, piloted merchant vessels in international waters for ship to ship refuelling. It was the first time that such specialised work was being carried out by Maltese personnel. The five Maltese pilots were the only ones established in the Mediterranean andtheir work used to previously be carried out by foreigners, generally English and Indian.

Dr Azzopardi said that the cooperative's work was mainly centred around Malta, Cyprus and Gibraltar. The pilots have invested heavily in specialised equipment and training.