MV ''Rozi'' was a

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...

, built in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

in 1958. She was originally called ''Rossmore'', and was later renamed ''Rossgarth''. She was sold to Tug Malta in 1981 as the ''Rozi'' and operated in the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour ( mt, il-Port il-Kbir; it, Porto Grande), also known as the Port of Valletta, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, a ...

. After being decommissioned, she was scuttled off

Ċirkewwa Ċirkewwa is a harbour situated on a point at the northernmost part of Malta. It is the site of the Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal, where regular car ferries operate to the port of Mġarr in Gozo. In the summer, boat trips to Comino also operate, as we ...

as an artificial reef. It is now one of the most popular dive sites in Malta.

History

MV ''Rozi'' was built in Bristol in 1958 by

Charles Hill & Sons Charles Hill & Sons was a major shipbuilder based in Bristol, England, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Background Established in 1845 from the company Hilhouse, they specialised mainly in merchant and commercial ships, but also undertook t ...

Ltd, for Warren Johnston Lines Ltd of

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

. Her original name was ''Rossmore''. In 1969 she was sold to Rea Towing Company and renamed ''Rossgarth''. In 1972 she was sold to Mifsud Brothers Ltd, and operated for Malta Ship Towage Ltd, retaining its same name. She left Liverpool and began her career in Malta. The tugboat was sold to Tug Malta in 1981 and was renamed ''Rozi''. After many years operating in Grand Harbour, she was decommissioned and sold to Captain Morgan Cruises. They scuttled the tugboat off

in September 1992 for their Underwater Safari Tours. These tours no longer operate, but the site is now a popular dive site which attracts hundreds of divers from around the world.

Dive site

The wreck of the ''Rozi'' lies upright on a sandy bottom, at a depth of . It is intact except for its engines and propeller. The wreck is full of marine life, including sea breams,

scorpionfish The Scorpaenidae (also known as scorpionfish) are a family of mostly marine fish that includes many of the world's most venomous species. As their name suggests, scorpionfish have a type of "sting" in the form of sharp spines coated with venomo ...

, rainbow wrasses and

cardinal fish Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water and a few (notably ''Glossamia'') are found in fresh water. ...

. The site is easily accessible from the nearby Ċirkewwa Harbour and is located close to the wreck of the patrol boat ''P29''.

References

Tugboats Ships built in Bristol 1958 ships Ships of Malta Shipwrecks of Malta Ships sunk as artificial reefs Maritime incidents in 1992 Ships sunk as dive sites Underwater diving sites in Malta Mellieħa {{Malta-stub