The islands of Malta lie in the principal passage between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean and on the major sea routes between the Atlantic, the Black Sea and the Suez Canal.
The geographical position, superb natural harbours permitting sheltered anchorage and mild climate made Malta a much sought- after-haven down the ages.
The Phoenicians, a seafaring people, established trading ports on the island. They were followed by the Carthaginians until the incorporation of Malta with the Roman Empire during the Second Punic War saw the start of yet another link with an important maritime power.
Since those days, the island of Malta has been intimately
connected with ships of both peace and war - the war galleys and merchantmen
of Carthage and Rome, Arab dhows, the galleys of the Knights Hospitallers
of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and warships of the British Navy.
When Malta was given as a fief by Emperor Charles
V to the Order of St. John in 1530, the Knights immediately began to work
on the setting up of a repair and maintenance base for their galleys and
a building slip.
The site chosen was spread across two creeks in Grand Harbour. It was destined to became the location of the dockyard built in Malta by the British some 300 years later.
For more than 150 years, Malta was the main base of the British Empire's Mediterranean Fleet until changes in the Royal Navy's strategic deployment brought about a cessation of the full requirements of the Malta dockyard. As a result, the dockyard - or Malta Drydocks Corporation as it is now known - changed over to commercial work in 1959.
With its seven dry docks - the largest of which can
accomodate vessels of up to 300,000 dwt - allied to a highly skilled, English
speaking workforce, Malta Drydocks offers shipowners a full range of ship
repair services.
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