So rich in heritage, Cottonera is unique, in Malta and in Europe. Vittoriosa, Civitas Invicta, and Cospicua stand icons of Malta’s finest hours. Cottonera’s hues and tones are nowhere to be found – from the majesty of Fort St Angelo onto the Senglea skyline with its imposing Basilica and Cospicua, birthplace of Il-Perit (Dom Mintoff).
Whether what stands between Malta’s bulwark against the Ottomans and Vittoriosa proper is a case of quod non fecerunt barberi fecerunt Barberini probably depends on how aesthetics is perceived. As my thoughts drift away with the red and yellow stripes of a regatta boat passing by, the void is replaced by a concoction of waterfront nightlife, the wine bars, casino lure, yachts and super yachts.
Over the last decade or so, Malta’s yachting industry has been on an upbeat. Apart from Manoel Island and the circa 280 berths at Msida, the relatively new Vittoriosa marina has rapidly established itself. Not to mention the berthing capacity at Mġarr harbour in Gozo and the Portomaso complex in St Julians. There has been talk, recently, about increasing the number of yacht marinas across the Maltese islands given indications that our economy stands to benefit significantly from the yachting industry and, especially, in promoting upmarket tourism.
The matter has not been spared its fair share of controversy as with the Ħondoq proposal in Gozo. The situations policymakers have to deal with in striking the right balance between commercial and environmental interests inevitably become more daunting. If sustainability is the name of the game, the players are still confounded as to what the rules are. Let alone acting by them.
It is positive to tap the yachting industry to boost the economy. Malta’s potential is there and how! But it should not be, crudely, about economic drive alone. A sense of pragmatism must prevail such that the economics of the rich can trickle down for the less well-off to benefit plus the fact that the yachting industry has an environmental dimension of its own.
The main issues at stake are various, including launching and berthing procedures, impacts on marine ecosystems both on the seabed and within the water column itself, engine emissions, especially when the seacraft operates at low speeds usually within the harbour, noise disturbances and also emissions of antifoulants into the sea. Whether occasional or not, the irresponsible behaviour of a minority of seacraft owners who dump waste into the sea is yet another consideration.
Seabed ecosystems are inevitably disturbed by anchor drag from unsteady moorings. This is hardly ever noticed given the murky waters at berthing sites, a situation mostly resulting from seacraft oil or fuel spillages, a major inner-harbour source of marine pollution. Most of the oil is biodegradable but rising sediments from the seabed due to anchor drag facilitates the association of oil to sediment particles which, in turn, is known to prolong the residence time of the oil in the water.
That the yachting industry is not often quoted with regard to airborne emissions should not be read as if the matter is of no concern. Airborne emissions from yachting engines typically peak when the seacraft is at low speeds, generally within harbour areas and when about to berth. This is generally accompanied by noise pollution.
The impact of antifoulant marine paints is probably one of the most peculiar environmental considerations that stem from the maintenance of yachts and other seacraft. Tributyltin (TBT) is generally present in paints and varnishes used by the industry and which serves to diminish the attachment of marine organisms to the seacraft surfaces that lie in contact with seawater. This improves seacraft manoeuvrability and fuel efficiency. Grit blasting in drydock areas is known to contribute significantly to TBT levels in the marine environment as a consequence of the paint residues the process inevitably releases.
One of the first local attempts to assess the impact of TBT and a family of related compounds dates back to 1998 when TBT levels in Maltese harbours were found to be within a microgramme-per-litre range. On being released to the water column, TBT works its way onto the seabed and, back then, TBT levels in sediments were found to be highest in yacht marinas.
When assessing the impacts of chemicals such as TBT food chain considerations rank of utmost importance from both the ecosystem management and human health perspectives. The risks incurred by those who regularly bath in TBT contaminated waters should neither be downplayed.
Quite a lot has changed since 1998 and the present scenario and future prospects of Malta’s yachting industry are now completely different.
The key issue is whether the right policy framework shall be adopted to ensure that Malta’s yachting industry evolves in a sustainable way. Let us therefore have, first of all, the rules of the game!
sapulis@gmail.com
The author specialises in environmental management.