The Grand Harbour's Shore-to-Ship project is currently in a pivotal testing stage, characterised by trials conducted on cruise liners, Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia said on Wednesday.

This project will enable ships to disengage their gas or heavy fuel oil engines, connecting instead to the onshore electricity supply.

This connection serves to operate the necessary machinery for the provision of services while cruise liners are stationed in the port.

Speaking during a visit to the project accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett, Farrugia said Infrastructure Malta had successfully implemented this system at all five primary passenger cruise quays: three at Xatt ta’ Pinto in Floriana, one at l-Għassar tal-Għeneb at Marsa, and the other one at Boiler Wharf, Senglea.

This environmental investment will be cutting 90% of air pollution by cruise liners at the Grand Harbour. Through this investment, Infrastructure Malta will provide cleaner air for the 17,000 families residing around the Grand Harbour area, the government said. 

A 2015 European study estimates that each passenger ship spending eight hours docked in the port emits 1.2 tonnes of nitrogen oxide, the minister noted.

This is equivalent to the emissions from 300,000 cars driving from Ċirkewwa to Marsaxlokk simultaneously. Additionally, these ships release 30 kilograms of particulate matter emissions (fine dust in the air), mirroring the emissions from 180,000 vehicles travelling the entire length of Malta.

“This significant investment will provide much-needed relief to families in the area who have long endured the detrimental effects of pollution emitted from cruise ships.

"It clearly shows the government’s commitment to strengthen the maritime sector, and not have the country’s economic growth at the expense of the people’s health,” Farrugia said. 

Bonett said that through European Funds the government is supporting investment in areas such as clean energy technologies, and emission reductions.

“This government’s plan towards Malta's transition to a climate-neutral economy has been ongoing for many years and is particularly evident in the development registered in the last decade in the energy sector”, Bonett said.

The project is co-financed by the EU's Connecting Europe Facility.