The Malta Maritime Forum (MMF) is presenting a maritime-focused set of proposals for the forthcoming 2026 Budget. This flagship document is being presented personally to Minister Chris Bonett today, coinciding with World Maritime Day.
This is the fifth consecutive year in which the MMF is proactively contributing its views for the budget as it strives to “fly the flag” and promote the interests of the maritime community.
In this regard, following repeated discussions, the forum believes it is opportune to bring closure on matters of primary importance and which have been left pending for years to the detriment of the industry and the economy, namely:
• the enactment of draft legislation to raise and regulate standards for ship agency in Malta;
• the setting up of a Maritime Court; and
• the re-establishment of a national authority solely responsible for the maritime sector.
These matters are once again emphasised in this year’s MMF budget proposal submissions.
The MMF’s vision for the forthcoming budget centres around supporting the industry and businesses within it to grow sustainably. The recommendations, in fact, generally emphasise the need for better planning and stronger focus on the maritime industry when it comes to implementing the chartered way forward for the industry in line with holistic strategies at the national level.
Here particular reference is made to the complementarity that is required between the National Maritime Transport Strategy and Malta Vision 2050. The MMF is making further representations in favour of enhanced investor relationships with the authorities and for more active promotion of Malta’s maritime industry overseas.
The MMF’s flagship proposal this year continues to centre around the new National Maritime Transport Strategy, to which the forum has contributed actively, including as regards the organisation of a technical consultation session during its recent annual general assembly.
In line with Malta’s new Maritime Transport Strategy, the MMF is proposing investment towards establishing a free-trade zone to serve as a regional logistics hub. This initiative is also consistent with Malta Vision 2050 and aims to position Malta as a centre of excellence in regional trade by transforming its logistics capabilities, boosting economic activity and contributing significantly to national competitiveness and resilience.
Malta’s forthcoming Maritime Transport Strategy must also fit into the objectives of a European Maritime Strategy, which is also a ‘works-in-progress’ document to which the forum has contributed. In this regard, the forum proposed a resource allocation to public and private stakeholders which are centrally placed to safeguard Malta’s interests in the face of EU legislative proposals that, while well-intentioned, risk disproportionate harm to Malta’s maritime sector.
Recent cases included the Fit for 55 Package and EU sanctions on Russia, both of which have threatened Malta’s flag, maritime connectivity and competitiveness, encouraging de-flagging and business leakage to non-EU states. The forum called for stronger collaboration with like-minded EU member states, greater private sector capacity and better coordination among Malta’s maritime cluster organisations to ensure a unified voice in EU fora and protect national and regional economic resilience.
On the Malta flag, the forum recently analysed recent performance and submitted preliminary recommendations to the minister. It has now reiterated its call towards the commencement of discussions of a consultative nature with a view to strengthening incentives and support structures to enhance the attractiveness of the flag.
The MMF has consistently gone on record to support the government’s proposals to shift an increased share of road traffic towards waterborne means of transport and has continued to publicly welcome recent investments made towards progress in this regard.
The forum has continued to recommend the introduction of a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) cargo service between Malta Freeport and Gozo, possibly with stopovers in Grand Harbour and the north of Malta, with a view to:
• alleviate traffic on Maltese roads from Birżebbuġa, the Inner Harbour areas and Ċirkewwa; and
• reduce emissions of harmful CO2 pollutants due to lower generation of CO2 per tonne-mile generated by one ship compared to multiple trucks.
Despite the doubling of trailer traffic from 35k to 75k TIR units in the last 20 years, ro-ro facilities in Grand Harbour have remained unchanged, shrinking from three berths to just one at Laboratory Wharf. This shortfall prevents Malta from accommodating new, larger and eco- efficient vessels, already leading to missed opportunities.
Similar constraints exist at Deep Water Quay and Flagstone Wharf. The MMF stresses the urgent need for a holistic strategy that not only upgrades facilities but also provides back-up options to secure Malta’s connectivity and economic resilience.
The forum also pronounced itself on other matters of prime national importance such as the proposed exclusive economic zone (EEZ), land reclamation, a proposal for the greater utilisation of so-called “transition” and alternative fuels, the introduction of standard operating procedures for bunkering and the need for promoting blue skills and investment in ensuring the required talent in the industry.
To complement all these proposals, the MMF further suggested the setting up of a structured consultation mechanism on the lines of a Maritime Advisory Committee that would be tasked with laying down plans and directions for the development of maritime activities, as well as identifying and applying solutions to bottlenecks that shackle maritime services in Malta.
As amply shown by its track record, the MMF always engages in consultation with a positive and constructive mindset. The forum is consistent in this approach and has offered the authorities its meaningful contributions and workable solutions that derive from objective research and from the expert opinions and experiences of the captains of industry that it represents.
This year, as the MMF celebrates its 10th anniversary − marking a decade of progress and growth in both its representation of the maritime industry and its commensurate influence − the forum is further committed to reinforcing this constructive approach.
In fact, the budget proposals document put forward by the MMF was largely generated from the feedback and technical input received from its members as part of an active and exhaustive internal consultation process.
As the national maritime cluster, the MMF prioritises continuous engagement with its growing number of members to ensure it is constantly able to serve its purpose as a common platform for Malta-based entities involved in Malta’s maritime industry − a mission it has steadily strengthened over its first 10 years.
This article appeared on the Times of Malta
