Another chapter in the long history of the dockyard closes this afternoon when Malta Shipyards ceases operations.

For former shipyard employee Vincent Scerri, today's events bring a flood of memories going back to the late 1950s when he started working in the dockyard as an apprentice.

Mr Scerri remembers having to build his own tools from scratch, his first pay and the labour unrest.

Although he left the yard many years ago – in 1960, the dockyard has a special place in his heart and he reads anything that is written about it.

Now that this era has come to an end he is willing to “cherish the memories” and look ahead.

The dockyard traces its origins to the time of the knights. It became the Admiralty Dockyard under the British forces and in the late 1950s was transferred to Bailey (Malta) for commercial operations. But the government in 1975 nationalised the operation and the Malta Drydocks Corporation was formed, eventually becoming Malta Shipyards.

The operation will be privatised and transferred to Italian company Palumbo in the coming weeks.