The Malta Maritime Forum has called for the introduction of a Ro-Ro service to transport cargo between Malta Freeport and Grand Harbour to Mġarr in Gozo possibly with a stop-over in the north of Malta.

"Although precise statistics are not readily available, from reliable indications the MMF is confident that such a service is both feasible and sustainable whilst alleviating lines of heavy vehicles from main arterial roads particularly in the North of Malta," the Forum said.

It made its call in the wake of an announcement by the transport minister on Wednesday about a surge in users of ferry services across Grand Harbour and Marsamxett after the services were made free of charge last month.

The Forum said it had long been calling for similar measures with a view to increase the share of waterborne traffic as part of the solution towards decarbonisation and reducing traffic congestion.  

The MMF said it had discussed its recommendations with the local authorities and also with its counterparts in Brussels including the European Network of Maritime Clusters (ENMC) and Waterborne Technology Platform (WTP) both of which actively promote a shift in traffic from road to water with a view to ease congestion and pollution thereby achieving the objectives of the European Union’s Green Deal Package.

The Forum is made up of operators in the maritime sector,