20 - 26 April 2000

MMA's position 'must be strengthened'

by Anna Maria Bartolo

The new board of directors of the Malta Maritime Authority must continue to give the authority "a much stronger position than that which it currently holds", Transport Minister Censu Galea said yesterday.

He was speaking during a visit to the Malta Maritime Authority offices where he met the new board of directors.

Emphasising the need for the authority to keep itself current on ongoing developments, he referred to various projects in which the board assumes various functions and said these would begin later on this year. These are: the Cottonera project, the sea passenger terminal, and the Cirkewwa project.

He highlighted the role of three authority directorates which "have a major importance". Two of them, the yachting and port directorate, work mostly on a local basis.

With regards to the yachting directorate, he said this had to take into consideration the need for more berthing facilities.

"Our 1,100 berthing facilities are not enough since the number of applications for berths is continuously increasing and there are currently around 300 pending applications," he said.

Following the completion of developments in the private yachting sector, the yachting directorate would act as regulator for private-owned marinas while continuing to be in charge of marinas owned by the government, he said.

He also spoke on the role of the shipping directorate.

Today, in view of the number of ships registered under the Maltese flag, the amount of work done in the past and widespread contact with international ports, the directorate is our flag outside Malta," he said.

Referring to the lengthy discussion on the Maltese flag in connection with the Erika disaster in December, Mr Galea said: "Despite the various positions taken in Malta with regard to the disaster... we realised that the responsibility lay with other parties and not the Malta Maritime Authority."

The Maltese flag is still the fourth in the world as far as shipping registries are concerned, he said. Malta should not however use this reality to flatter itself since it does not necessarily reflect a sign of seriousness, he continued.

Asked how the Malta Maritime Authority fits in within the European Union's regulatory framework, Mr Galea said commercial shipping was the main link and that the directorate must apply EU conditions and regulations.

He said a change in the composition of the board is being considered so the executive directorate may not necessarily have to be directorate members.

This year the Malta Maritime Authority board of directors aims to actively update itself on shipping industry developments and empower its regulatory role in other major developments including that of Cottonera.

Marc Bonello is the authority board's new chairman, vice-chairman is Gorg Grech and members are Dr Vincent Moran, David Stellini and Edgar Gatt. Oscar Borg, Alfred Cremona, Charles Schembri and Lino Vassallo are the executive directors.