Faċilità ġdida li se twassal għal tnaqqis ta’ 20% f’emmissjonijiet u żieda ta’ 60% fl-effiċjenza tal-operat

 

Ċentru Nazzjonali ġdid għad-Distribuzzjoni tal-Fjuwil f’Ħas-Saptan ġie inawgurat tard it-Tlieta filgħaxija mill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela u mill-Ministru għall-Enerġija, l-Intrapriża u l-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli Miriam Dalli.

L-investiment ta’ €70 miljun sar mill-kumpanija Enemed, id-distributur nazzjonali tal-prodotti tal-pitrolju f’Malta.

Dan l-investiment multi-milljunarju wassal għall-għeluq tal-impjant tal-31 ta’ Marzu 1979 f’Birżebbuġa u l-ftuħ ta’ faċilità ġdida mgħammra bl-aħħar teknoloġija li tipprovdi operat iktar modern, effiċjenti u sostenibbli.

Iċ-ċentru se jkun qed iżid l-effiċjenza fl-operat tiegħu b’60% filwaqt li jnaqqas l-emmissjonijiet ta’ CO2 b’20%, hekk kif se jonqos it-traġitt tat-trakkijiet.

Matul id-diskors tal-inawgurazzjoni, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela qal li l-faċilità ta’ Ħas-Saptan hija eżempju ċar ta’ kif permezz ta’ teknoloġija innovattiva, is-servizz provdut qed jiġi mmodernizzat filwaqt li jitnaqqas l-impatt negattiv fuq il-komunitajiet tal-madwar.

“Nafu kemm ġarret piż il-komunità ta’ Birżebbuġa bil-ħażna tat-tankijiet tal-fjuwil. L-ikbar piż kien riżultat ta’ infrastruttura antika li tħalli impatt negattiv fuq is-saħħa daqskemm wieħed estetiku,” qal il-Prim Ministru.

Kien għalhekk, qal il-Prim Ministru Abela, li l-Gvern ma njorax dawn il-weġgħat u għalaq l-impjant tal-31 ta’ Marzu. Iżda din ma kinitx sempliċiment rilokazzjoni, saħaq il-Prim Ministru. Din il-faċilità, b’investiment ta’ €70 miljun, qed telimina l-ħruġ ta’ emmissjonijiet tossiċi fl-arja waqt it-trasferiment tal-fjuwil li jagħmlu l-ħsara kemm lill-ambjent kif ukoll lin-nies.

Qal li dan huwa l-mod kif irridu nibqgħu naħdmu fi proġetti oħra fejn hemm l-industrija, biex filwaqt li dan il-pilastru tal-ekonomija Maltija jkompli jissaħħaħ, l-industrija tħaddan standards ġodda li jassiguraw il-kwalità tal-ħajja u t-titjib fl-ambjent.

Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat kif dan l-investiment huwa parti minn pjan akbar biex ikun irriġenerat in-naħa ta’ isfel ta’ Malta u li jwassal għal kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar għar-residenti. Fosthom, ir-riġenerazzjoni tal-Park tal-familja f’Bengħajsa.

“Qed nagħtu nifs ġdid lir-residenti ta’ Birzebbuġa u l-madwar. Ftit tax-xhur ilu, għalaqna ufficjalment l-impjant l-antik tal-31 ta’ Marzu, li għal għexieren ta’ snin wassal biex jidħlu trakkijiet fil-qalba tar-rahal ħalli jimlew il-fjuwil. Dan illum spiċċa darba ghal dejjem għax din l-operazzjoni issa qed issir kollha mill-impjant il-ġdid,” qalet Miriam Dalli.

Il-Ministru spjegat ukoll kif l-investiment qed joffri l-aktar teknoloġija moderna biex il-pajjiż ikun moqdi bl-aħjar mod. L-investiment jagħmilha possibbli biex l-Enemed tkompli tgħolli l-istandards tagħha u toffri fjuwil ta’ kwalità ogħla.

L-installazzjoni ta’ Ħas-Saptan tinsab 45m ’l isfel mill-art u kienet mibnija fl-1950 mill-Ammiraljat Brittaniku u ko-finanzjata mill-pajjiżi membri tan-NATO. Il-faċilità hija konnessa ma’ żewġ mini taħt l-art, waħda li twassal għal Ras Ħanżir fil-Port il-Kbir u oħra li twassal għall-port ta’ Marsaxlokk.

“Is-suċċess ta’ dan il-proġett jipprovdi kontribuzzjoni sinjifikanti biex nilħqu l-viżjoni tagħna li nsiru l-għażla preferuta tal-impjegati, il-klijenti u x-shareholders tagħna”, qal iċ-Chairman Eżekuttiv tal-Enemed Kevin Chircop.

Fiċ-ċentru saru diversi tibdiliet fosthom l-installazzjoni ta’ saff ieħor fit-tankijiet tal-fjuwil li jwasslu għal aktar sigurtà, l-installazzjoni ta’ pompi ġodda għat-trasferiment tal-fjuwil u apparat teknoloġiku ieħor fil-pajpijiet tal-faċilità taħt l-art.

Dan minbarra l-iddissinjar u l-bini ta’ faċilità għall-ħażna tal-fjuwil fuq l-art biex it-trakkijiet jgħabbu u jqassmu l-fjuwil b’mod effiċjenti u sikur madwar il-gżejjer Maltin.

 

 

A new national fuel distribution centre has been inaugurated at Ħas-Saptan

The new facility will lead to a 20% reduction in emissions and a 60% increase in operational efficiency

 

 

A new national fuel distribution centre at Ħas-Saptan was inaugurated late on Tuesday evening by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli.

The €70 million investment was made by Enemed, the national distributor of petroleum products in Malta.

This multi-million investment led to the closure of the 31st March 1979 plant in Birżebbuġa and the opening of a new facility equipped with the latest technology that provides more modern, efficient and sustainable operations.

The centre will increase its operating efficiency by 60% while reducing CO2 emissions by 20%, as it will reduce traffic caused by fuel trucks.

Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the Ħas-Saptan facility is a clear example of how innovative technology is being used to modernise the service provided while reducing the negative impact on the surrounding communities.

“We know that the Birżebbuġa community had the burden of storing fuel tanks in the locality. The biggest burden was a result of old infrastructure that has a negative impact, both on health as well as aesthetically,” said the Prime Minister.

That is why, according to Prime Minister Abela, the government did not ignore this burden and closed the 31st March plant. However, the Prime Minister stressed that this was not just a relocation. Through a €70 million investment, the facility eliminates the escape of toxic emissions into the air during the transfer of fuel, which is harmful to both people and the environment.

He said that this is the way we want to continue working on other industrial projects, so that while this pillar of the Maltese economy continues to strengthen, the industry embraces new standards that ensure a high quality of life and the protection of the environment.

Minister Miriam Dalli explained how this investment is part of a larger plan to regenerate the south of Malta, leading to a better quality of life for residents. Among these is the regeneration of the family park in Bengħajsa.

“We are giving a new lease of life to the residents of Birżebbuġa and the surrounding area. A few months ago, we officially closed down the old 31st March plant, which for decades led to trucks entering the heart of the village to refuel. This has ended once and for all because this operation is now being carried out entirely from the new facility,” said Minister Miriam Dalli.

The Minister also explained how this investment uses the most modern technology to serve the country in the most efficient way. The investment will enable Enemed to continue to raise its standards and offer higher quality fuel.

The Ħas-Saptan facility is located 45m below the ground and was built in 1950 by the British Admiralty and co-financed by NATO member countries. The facility is connected to two underground tunnels, one leading to Ras Ħanżir in the Grand Harbour and another leading to the port of Marsaxlokk.

“The success of this project provides a significant contribution to achieving our vision of becoming the preferred choice for our employees, clients and shareholders,” said Enemed Executive Chairman Kevin Chircop.

Several changes have been made to the facility, including the installation of another layer in the fuel tanks leading to increased safety, the installation of new fuel transfer pumps and other technological equipment in the facility’s underground pipes.

This is in addition to the design and construction of an above-ground fuel storage facility for trucks to load and distribute fuel efficiently and safely across the Maltese islands.