[WATCH] Yacht lift operational at Pieta is first for Mediterranean

The first floating boat lift in the Mediterranean is now operational at the Marina di Valletta in Pieta Creek.

The lift is operated by Yacht Lift Malta and can handle boats that weigh up to 50 tonnes and are 22 metres long.

The €3 million investment will save boat owners the trouble of taking their vessels on land to do work on them.

The structure boasts the most advanced eco-friendly hull cleaning platforms globally and is EU waste compliant, processing and filtering all the water before discharging it into the sea.

The lift was inaugurated on Thursday by Transport Minister Ian Borg who said the service was a unique concept for the Mediterranean region.

“It is worth mentioning that this yacht lift also attracted owners of foreign boats from countries around the Mediterranean and in Europe, who found it more convenient to use Yacht Lift Malta instead of foreign shipyards,” Borg said.

The yacht lift deploys an innovative system by putting the least amount of stress on the boat’s hull, since the vessel is raised by the keel instead of straps.