‘Report shows Marsascala-Valletta ferry a planned political move’ - Momentum

Updated 12.40pm

A report into the feasibility of a planned ferry service between Marsascala and Valletta suggests the project is a “predetermined political move rather than a feasibility-based initiative”, according to Momentum.

Releasing a copy of a Grant Thornton feasibility report, which it acquired through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the party said the report’s contents “confirmed the fears of the Marsascala Residents Network”.

It said the report's September date “suggests the government had already committed to the service and planned its launch before the feasibility study was concluded”.

“This chronology validates the concerns raised by Marsascala residents in early August, who announced their protests against a ministerial decision that had seemingly bypassed the necessary consultative and investigative stages.”

Momentum said the report failed to address “fundamental concerns” about the project’s environmental risk, reliability, impact on residents, alternative solutions, traffic and parking and structural plans.

While the report from the auditing company had been provided, Momentum said its request for a Vincent Marmara survey about the project had not been provided: “The whereabouts and findings of this taxpayer-funded survey remain a mystery”.

It said the Grant Thornton report had relied on JobsPlus and 2021 National Household Travel Survey data, “with no mention of the specific results from the Marmara survey”.

In October, statistician Vincent Marmara said his survey of 600 residents found that 59 per cent believe it to be a good idea, 24 per cent do not agree with the project, and 17 per cent were undecided.

Environment and reliability

Momentum said that while the report had recommended a vessel with a twin hull design, “it completely fails to address whether this design will require deep dredging of the Marsascala harbour”.

The party emphasised it had specifically requested studies on the project’s environmental impact, including on the seabed and marine species. “The report provides no data on the ecological damage dredging could cause to the port’s delicate ecosystem”.

The report also provides “no calculation” of how many days the service would likely be out of action due to adverse weather conditions in the “exposed” bay, an omission the party said “leaves the reliability of the service in question for daily commuters”.

Impact on residents, traffic and parking

The party said that while it had requested studies on the social impact of the project, the provided report “ignores the displacement of amateur fishermen and swimmers, providing no data on how many residents will lose access to the bay’s recreational waters”.

And while the report says the ferry will save almost 20,000 car trips – based on commuters driving from Żabbar, Marsaxlokk, and Għaxaq to Marsascala to take the ferry – it “fails to answer a critical logistical question” regarding where the cars will park, Momentum said.

“By inviting traffic from surrounding towns, the project risks turning Marsaskala into a congested car park, negating the claimed benefits. A dedicated shuttle bus service is not evaluated.”

Alternatives and architecture

Momentum said its FOI request had explicitly asked for a study comparing the planned ferry service with a shuttle bus service to take commuters to the Bormla ferry terminal instead.

“The report fails to provide this comparison regarding time, efficiency, and public expenditure, ignoring a potentially cheaper and less invasive solution.”

Similarly, the party’s request for “detailed architectural plans for the terminal and promenade, as well as records regarding the structural integrity of the damaged promenade” was “entirely absent” from the report, it said.

“There is no evidence provided that the current infrastructure can support the proposed terminal or heavy foot traffic.”

'Proposal to cater for tourism' - residents

In a statement echoing Momentum’s criticisms of the report, the Marsascala Residents’ Network reiterated that the report had been composed after the official announcement for the project had been made.

“This report, therefore, cannot be considered an independent study determining whether such a service should be introduced from Marsascala, but rather a document prepared after the political decision had already been taken”, it said.

Highlighting environmental concerns, the group said that with the ferry terminal infrastructure needing to be “created from scratch”, the bay would need to be dredged.

This, the group said, would “inevitably result in negative environmental impacts, including protected species and habitats – an aspect that is entirely overlooked in the report”.

It stressed that alternative localities had not been considered for the project, from which it would have “easily emerged” that it would have been “more feasible” for residents of Marsaxlokk, Birżebbuġa and Ħal Għaxaq not to depart from Marsascala.

“All this clearly shows that the study was not intended to explore the best possible options, but rather to confirm a position already adopted by the Minister... despite the strong opposition this project was facing from Marsascala residents”, the group said.

The study also failed to address why the location in the middle of Marsascala Bay was chosen – a site it described as a “narrow inlet that does not exceed 200 metres in width” bordering a swimming zone.

The group also raised questions about the fuel source for the proposed ferry service, noting the report did not clarify whether the system would be powered by electricity or through a hybrid system.

It called the estimated trip reduction of almost 20,000 fewer cars “disappointing”, while questioning whether the figure would contribute to decreased emissions. 

“All this clearly shows that demand for the ferry from Marsascala to Valletta has been artificially inflated by including residents from localities who are far more likely to use other routes and modes of transport”, it said.

“This leads to the conclusion that the primary purpose of this fast ferry is not to serve local communities, but to cater for tourism-related objectives.

“Finally, this report fails to seriously and responsibly address the negative impacts – including environmental and social impacts – of the fast ferry from Marsascala, a shortcoming that substantially undermines its credibility as a feasibility study.”