The Forum’s Port Infrastructure Sub-Committee held a meeting with Shadow Ministers Hon Julie Zahra and Hon Ivan Castillo. During this meeting, views were exchanged on the Grand Harbour Revival Plan and the European Commission’s review of the Emission Trading System.
The Chair of the Forum’s Sub-Committee, Mr Malcolm Custo’ explained that as an Island, Malta’s economy depends strongly on efficient and reliable maritime infrastructure and unfortunately, this fact is often overlooked.
The Grand Harbour supports a wide range of maritime activities that have developed over decades. These include cargo handling, cruise-passenger terminal facilities, ferry services, ship repair, fuel logistics and offshore support operations. In the context of the proposed Grand Harbour Revival Project, the Sub-Committee members expressed their view that they agreed in principle with the proposed Revival Plan for Valletta port subject to the conclusions of Independent navigational and safety risk assessments which are needed to determine and ascertain that the Grand Harbour can remain, first and foremost, a working port. To this end, they reiterated their position that if parts of the harbour need to be reorganised, alternative facilities must be ready before any relocation takes place. For this reason, and in light of current operational bottlenecks and limitations, the timeliness of the completion of the Ras Ħanżir project is of essence.
The Sub-Committee also gave its views on the latest EU ETS situation, insisting that special concessions needed to be given to transhipment ports located in island and island member states of the EU to preserve their competitiveness and protect them from unfair competition which has been leading to business, investment and carbon-leakage.
