One of the few vessels that no information is around even from the authorities is the Bucket Dredger BALIENA. She was part of the Port Authority (Maltese Government) of which back to 1973 she was dredging part of Grand Harbour.
Later on during the eighties she was part of the Kalaxlokk Co Ltd fleet of 3 dredgers.
According to a parliamentary question back in 1st February 1993 the Minister for Economic Services Hon George Bonelllo Du Puis replied to a pq by Hon Sandro Schembri Adami was that back to September 1986 with a direct order from the Government , Kalaxlokk Co Ltd had to dredge Marsascala Bay. Completion of works were June 1989 with 160,000 cubic metres dredged area using the bucket dredger BALIENA together with the self propelled hopper barge MANINI. It costed the sum of LM 470, 332.
She was seen laid up at Church Wharf back to 2006/2007 where she even sank on her starboard side resting on slit as seen below –
During September/October 2009 she was broken up inside one of the two Bezzina Ship Repair Yard Cement Floating Dock –
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
