Carnival enthusiasts will be using new machinery to transport their floats to Valletta this year, following a €1.2 million investment in new tractors and trailers. 

Festivals Malta has received 20 new tractors, with 20 new trailers to be added to its fleet next year.

The investment in machinery was inaugurated on Monday by Culture Minister Owen Bonnici. 

The tractors will be used by carnival participants to transport their trailers from their warehouses to Valletta, as well as to navigate their floats around the streets of Valletta. 

Carnival will take place this year between 17-21 February. 

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici announcing the new tractors on Monday. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Apart from the investment in these vehicles, Festivals Malta will also be placing a number of containers scattered along the streets of Valletta so that organic waste, plastic, and tins can be collected and separated.

The new tractors and trailers will only be used for Malta's carnival, not Gozo's, as Festival Malta is not responsible for festivities on the sister island. 

The minister said the new tractors and trailers will raise the quality and standard of Malta's carnival, while also making the festival a more sustainable one.

He thanked the many volunteers who dedicate their time to preparations for the traditional festival.

The new tractors are Euro 5-rated with diesel engines. A ministry spokesperson said they emit significantly fewer fumes than their predecessors and are also more silent. 

“These tractors are equipped with various features of the highest level in terms of safety, and are therefore safer to work with,” Festivals Malta Chairman Aaron Zahra said.

“So apart from reducing pollution, this investment will help safeguard the health and safety of the carnival participants.”

The new tractors were inaugurated on Monday. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Festivals Malta CEO Annabelle Stivala said that the tractors represent a change for Malta Carnival. 

“Where in past years we had to use less adequate machinery as a means of transport for the carnival floats, now we can facilitate our participants’ work while reducing the environmental impact," she said.

"Thanks to these tractors Festivals Malta will be reducing its carbon footprint and harmful emissions by a considerable amount."

She said with the new tractors, noise pollution caused by normal tractors, which can interfere with the lively atmosphere of carnival will be diminished. 

For more information about the Malta carnival visit www.festivals.mt/karnival.