The contract – worth over €300,000 – for leading Maltese fish farming company Pisciculture Marine De Malte Ltd (widely known as P2M) has resulted in the successful installation of 19 Oceanflex and five Aquaflex pens at their farm site on the north side of the Mediterranean island.
In a project supported by the European Fisheries Fund (EFF), P2M has completely refurbished and upgraded its farm site by replacing old rubber pens with a modern ultra-tough Fusion Marine polyethylene constructed farming system.
These 60m Oceanflex and 40m Aquaflex three-ring pens are ideal for exposed farming locations, with their durable and flexible construction designed to withstand extreme weather conditions.
Anton Borg of P2M said: “The containment and health of our stock is our number one priority and this is why we opted for Fusion Marine pens, which have a proven track record for their toughness and versatility.”
The Aquaflex and Oceanflex pens were assembled in Valetta Harbour aided by Fusion Marine engineers, with P2M overseeing the logistical operation to ensure the pens were safely installed on their farm site. Fusion Marine’s Malta based aquaculture consultant, Professor Carmelo Agius, also played a key role in ensuring the overall success of the project.
P2M was founded in 1990 and has grown into the country’s leading fish farm operator producing over 1,000 tonnes of quality sea bass, bream and meagre per annum, and employing more than 40 people between its farm and processing operations. The fish are sold whole on ice to the European Union, principally Italy.
Stephen Divers, managing director of Fusion Marine, said: “We have a long-established relationship with P2M and are delighted to have been closely involved in the successful completion of their latest modernisation project. The specialised design and engineering techniques used in the fabrication of our pens ensures the provision of an extremely tough and secure containment system whilst at the same time providing an excellent operational platform for fish farm personnel.”
