St Edward’s College has joined forces with the Edible Oil Refining Company to endorse environmental awareness through a competition for the students based on the arrival of the Earthrace challenger boat, due in Malta for refuelling on 18 April.

Earthrace is a revolutionary wave-piercing trimaran, which was built in New Zealand with the aim of promoting the use of renewable fuels.

The joint venture between the college and Malta’s largest producer of biodiesel came about because of the common interest in environmental values which both share, and follows the recent international accentuation on the need for greater efforts to stop global warming.

Students applying for the competition are invited to produce a project based on global warming and the use of alternative clean burning bio-diesel. The competition, which closes on 5 May, is being judged by a three-person independent panel, and is open to students between the ages of 10 and 14. Winners will receive a computer.

The Earthrace craft which is being brought over by EORC, leaves on 6 March from Barbados, aiming to circumnavigate the globe in a record time of less than 65 days. It will be arriving in Malta on 18 April for refuelling with EORC’s biodiesel and for a short break. Apart from setting a new time record, the boat is expected to be the first to attempt to circle the globe using biodiesel.

St Edward’s College students will be visiting the Earthrace trimaran during its stay at the Grand Harbour Marina in Vittoriosa.