A local company has completed the building of a ‘floating house' which will be moored near Venice to offer top quality accommodation on a timeshare basis.

The building of the €500,000 boat by General Maintenance Ltd, is part of a Venice on Water project which envisages a fleet of 10 such ‘floating houses' which may all be built in Malta over a number of years.

The project is being handled by Malta-based Marketing And Promotion (MAP) Ltd, a holiday property marketing company and Italian partner Floating House.

Apart from offering an innovative and easy way of cruising on the most famous lagoon in Europe, these houseboats will also enable residents to enjoy a luxurious boating lifestyle without needing to find the capital, maintenance and management costs to support full-time boat ownership, guests were told at the launch of the project today.

The launch took place at the marina of the Grand Hotel Excelsior, where the first boat, called Mdina Venezia, was displayed.

The houseboat measures 10 by four and a half metres and can accommodate up to six guests.

MAP Managing Director Mary Anne Pulé said the boat was easy to manoeuvre and handle with no licence or experience was required.

The hull was fabricated from light aluminium ans specifically designed for the shallow waters of the Venetian Lagoon. The inside layout consists of two bedrooms, one with ensuite facilities, a separate shower room, a full kitchen and living area, a rooftop sundeck and lounge area, a cockpit and private sleeping area for the skipper.