Gozo ferry commercial cargo

For decades, private vehicle drivers have been complaining, with justification, of the Gozo ferry when it boards commercial vehicles on the same trip.

Their complaint (and mine) is all the more urgent when the commercial vehicle happens to be a fuel-laden bowser (the high temperatures increase the dangers exponentially).

Such force-draught ventilation as might be installed to flush the vehicular cargo space is far from adequate and is certainly not up to the international standard of 30 air changes per hour rated for such (volatile) environments.

It is clear that the ferry company would do the nation an obviously useful service by putting on a ferry exclusively for commercial vehicles and that it should load these at Sa Maison or Marsa. In so doing, it would not only obviate unnecessary risk to life and limb but also relieve the Xemxija-to-Ċirkewwa traffic of the added congestion of slow and heavy traffic that belches black exhaust on the entire length of the two uphill stretches.

This last matter is also very urgent indeed since the Xemxija stretch is expected to be closed to traffic imminently (?).

The ferries also need a ‘traffic light’ system to indicate which of four- or six-row vehicles is permitted to switch on the ignition and disembark, thereby obviating the ridiculous situation in which far too many drivers start up the engines of their vehicles much too early.

Peter Calascione – Tal-Ibraġ

Marsalforn scum

The Santa Marija weekend arrived in Marsalforn and so did the boats. Dreaded by the locals, they came, tied up alongside each other, played bad-taste music a tad too loud and set up camp. Many have no holding tanks, either because they pre-date 2010, when it became standard on bigger boats, or because they are too small. So, on Sunday, the swimmers in the supposedly protected zone were greeted with this: bubbles over the entire surface of the sea, which then coalesced into scum closer to the shore (inset).

Most likely it was what is called “grey water” – dirty water from the sink or, as somebody spotted, when they wash their dishes directly into the sea. Many soap themselves on deck and wash the residue overboard. We know that they tend to stay over for at least one or two nights and don’t budge.

So, the next question is: what happens to the “black water”, that is, toilet water (if there are indeed any facilities on board)? Human waste was seen, floating, a couple of weeks back.

For the past 10 years, in Greece (to name but one country), officials can go on board and check the facilities. If there are any infringements they are empowered to issue hefty fines. So, now, the next question is: where is the enforcement here?

The very least the authorities can do is to do a daily check, together with a letter to all boat owners warning them against washing their mess into a confined bay. No one should have to bathe in the results of their thoughtlessness.

David Carrington – Marsalforn

The effects of greylisting

The Times of Malta issue of August 16 featured no less than 12 adverts by the Registrar of Companies notifying that the shareholders of that many Malta-registered companies have resolved to redomicile their companies outside Malta.

This is an indication of a trend surely attributable to Malta’s greylisting.

Anthony Curmi – St Julian’s

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