19 - 25 July 2001

Changes to Mgarr Terminal design

by Ivan Brincat

The external appearance of the proposed Mgarr Terminal in Gozo is being re-designed following feedback received from interested parties. The terminal will be one-and-a-half storeys high and not three storeys-high as originally planned.
The chairman of the Malta Maritime Authority, Marc Bonello, told The Malta Business Weekly that discussions were underway with the Planning Authority on a new external design for the terminal and he expected a very positive outcome.
Last week, The Malta Business Weekly carried a story on the proposed terminal and that many people in Gozo believe the design would ruin the area’s beauty.
“We are mainly discussing how the terminal’s roof will look from Qala. We have opted for a transparent lightweight roof which will resemble a sail. But the external designs of the project have not yet been finalised,” Dr Bonello said.
The MMA will be using steel and glass to give the impression of a light weight building and to minimise the visual impact.
Dr Bonello said the terminal will not have a life span similar to the bastions of Chambray and but will be built to allow for flexibility and future use.
He told The Malta Business Weekly that the terminal was far from a luxury and it was not a monstrosity, either. “Unfortunately change comes at a high price and people might be sceptical about things that have happened in the past. However, the Malta Maritime Authority is making every effort to marry the operational and safety requirements of the terminal with the visual impact and aesthetics of the project,” he said.
The project in Mgarr, Gozo has stirred some controversy as people have questioned the need for such a terminal.
But the whole project, with the building of another quay in Cirkewwa, the extension of a breakwater there as well as the rebuilding of the Cirkewwa Terminal are all aimed at improving accessibility between the two islands and lead to more efficient operations of Gozo Channel.
The project should be completed by 2003 weather permitting. “We cannot calculate exactly when this project will be completed because working at sea is difficult. Last year, we had excellent weather so we could carry on working till November,” he said.
Dr Bonello stressed that the Mgarr Terminal will be purely functional. “My first opinion of the design was that it was a rather large building. We asked the operator to trim down on their needs. The terminal is not a luxury. There will be parking spaces, a waiting area and an outdoor terrace. There will be no restaurants or shops. It is a purely functional building aimed at providing safety to passengers and speeding up the service.”
The terminal in Gozo will be able to handle 800 passengers at a go and people can also embark and disembark on the ferries at the same time using separate arms.
“I am surprised and thank God that we have not had any major accidents because as the system is today, it is chaotic. The idea behind the terminal is to provide comfort and shelter to passengers and to segregate passengers from cars embarking and disembarking on the ferries.”
Automated ticket booths, escalators and lifts and automated vending machines will be installed in the terminal. There is also space for four offices, one each for the Malta Maritime Authority, the Malta Transport Authority, the Police and the Gozo Channel.
Work at Cirkewwa will include an extension of the breakwater, a second quay and space for a third berth if necessary. There will also be a berth for boats operating to Comino and cars will pass underneath the terminal. The same will apply to traffic in Mgarr. There will also be space for public buses and coaches. When completed, the number of down-time periods at Cirkewwa will be reduced considerably. Gozo Channel cannot operate a service because of bad weather approximately 42 times a year. A down-time period is considered to be of three hours or more.
At present, Dr Bonello said, there are safety risks and the number of passengers going to and from Gozo is on the increase. “It is not the time to rest on our laurels,” he said.