Former MCAST Maritime Students presented with “Best Officer Cadet” Awards by Grimaldi Group, Naples
23-Apr-2010

Three former Maritime Institute Officer Cadets were presented with the Grimaldi Group Awards for achieving the highest grades during their training course as Officers in Charge of a Navigational Watch on Thursday 22 April 2010. Dr Guido Grimaldi, Commercial Manager of Grimaldi Lines presented the award in the presence of the Hon. Dr Austin Gatt, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Mr Paul Attard, President, MCAST Board of Governors, Prof Maurice Grech, Principal/CEO, Capt Reuben Lanfranco, Director, Maritime Institute as well as senior representatives from Malta Motorways of the Sea and MCAST Maritime Institute Staff.

This year the prize was awarded for the September 2006 Officer Cadet intake, who ended their course in 2009. Mr David Mercieca placed first and received a € 5000 cash prize, while Mr. Steve Gauci and Mr. Mark Mercieca placed second and third and received cash prizes of € 3000 and € 2000 respectively. The students were chosen following a rigorous selection process whereby a panel of lecturers gave points to each student registered for the Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch Course for his/her performance. Points assigned were based on students’ performance during assessments and assignments as well as final examinations. This is the second time that Grimaldi Lines will be awarding these awards to former students at the Maritime Institute. The previous prize was awarded in 2008.

In 2007, the MCAST Maritime Institute entered into a cooperation agreement with Malta Motorways of the Sea, a Grimaldi Group Company. Through this agreement, Malta Motorways of the Sea committed itself to support the training of Maltese Officer Cadets in the process of becoming merchant marine deck and engineering officers. Maritime Institute Officer Cadets are offered opportunities to undertake their sea-time training on board vessels sailing under the flag of Malta Motorways of the Sea and other companies of the Grimaldi Group. It was through this close and positive relationship developed with MCAST’s Maritime Institute that Malta Motorways of the Sea had donated € 133,000 for the upgrading of a modern simulator to support the training of Malta’s maritime human resources.

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