A HRK 35 million training ship for the education of students of maritime schools and colleges, the first such ship built in Croatia since the country gained its independence, was formally delivered to the Transport and Sea Ministry which commissioned the vessel, at a ceremony on the island of Korcula on Tuesday.
The motor sailer, named "Queen of the Sea", is 35 metres long and 8.7 metres wide. There can be 28 students, four lecturers and a seven-member crew aboard. The ship's captain is Kresimir Bosanac.
Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister JADRANKA KOSOR, who is the ship's godmother, said that currently 520 students attending high schools and colleges for maritime careers received scholarships.
Transport Minister Bozidar Kalmeta said that despite the ongoing crisis 25 ships were being built in Croatia.
Mladen Zanetic, director of the "Montmontaza-Greben" shipyard, where the training ship was built, said that the making of the first training ship was "an important technological step forward" for this shipyard on the island of Korcula.
(Hina)
