Cirkewwa marine works completed

Marine works at Cirkewwa harbour were completed last week, enabling two Gozo ferries to berth simultaneously, just in time for the annual rush for the feast of Sta Marija.

The ferries had been operating from the new quay while works continued on the upgrading and extension of the old one.

The works, including the extension of the breakwater and land reclamation for a new marshalling area, were aimed at enabling the ferries to use Cirkewwa in practically all weather conditions, as well as improving efficiency.

Transport Minister Censu Galea said in parliament last month that the Lm13 million Cirkewwa/Mgarr harbours project was being reviewed.

He told The Times when questioned that work on the semi-underground car park at Mgarr - a development requested by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority - was practically complete and the project would now focus on the roads leading to it and on turning its roof into a marshalling area. Once that is completed, work would start on the building of a passenger terminal on a site adjacent to the car park, where cars at present queue to board the ferries. The work will commence in the last quarter of this year.

The terminal building, he said, would be single storey, smaller and more aesthetically pleasing than the original proposal.

For the moment no further work will be carried out at Cirkewwa, where the original plans had also provided for the building of a passenger terminal.