Gozo Channel to get two new custom-built ferries in 2029

Updated 4.45pm

• Two new ferries between Ċirkewwa and Mġarr.
• One ferry to carry 250 vehicles to cater for peak demand.
• Second, smaller ferry, to carry 75 vehicles.
• New ferries to start operating in early 2029.
• Current fleet to be retrofitted, with one of the ferries used as a cargo vessel.
• Call for a leased ship to replace MV Nikolaos to be issued shortly.

Connectivity between Malta and Gozo will be bolstered with the addition of two newly commissioned passenger ferries, but the new vessels will only be in place in 2029, the government said on Wednesday.

The new vessels form part of a broader strategy to strengthen connectivity between the two islands announced by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri and Transport Minister Chris Bonett on Wednesday morning.

Of the two newly commissioned vessels, one will cater for peak demand hours, carrying 250 vehicles across the channel in a single trip, far more than the 150 vehicles carried by the current fleet of vessels. The ferry is expected to cost €65 million to manufacture.

The other new vessel will be smaller, carrying 75 vehicles at one go, at a cost of €45 million.

Both new vessels will be designed purposely for the Gozo Channel, the government-owned company which operates the service, with procurement kicking off in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the current crop of three vessels owned by Gozo Channel will be retrofitted to improve their efficiency and maximise their potential over the coming years. The retrofitting is set to cost a further €20 million over a period of six years.

In total, the cost of the two new vessels and the retrofitting of the existing fleet will set the government back €130 million.

One of these three retrofitted vessels will be repurposed to operate as a cargo vessel, carrying vehicles over 12 metres long.

The cargo vessel will operate twice daily between cargo hubs at the Malta Freeport and Ras Ħanżir and the Mġarr Harbour in Gozo, although this may increase to four trips per day at peak times. The cargo ferry will save trucks carrying cargo from crossing Malta to reach Ċirkewwa, saving almost 179,000 kilometres of journeys on Malta’s roads, Bonett said.

Gozo Channel also currently leases a fourth vessel, the controversial MV Nikolaos. A new call to lease another vessel in its place is expected to be issued in the coming months, with the leased vessel to operate during the transitional period in which the two new ships are being manufactured.

Ultimately, the government aims to run four passenger ferries from Ċirkewwa Harbour, in addition to a cargo vessel and the Gozo Fast Ferry. New passenger connections to Gozo from Sliema and Buġibba are also in the works.

However, it will be some time before this comes into effect, with authorities estimating a timeframe of 44 months, or three and a half years, until the new fleet is operational.

Two years for manufacture

Although preparatory works are well underway, works on the design and procurement of the new vessels are expected to be carried out over the coming year.

The manufacturing of the two new vessels is set to take a further two years, with the vessels entering into operation in the early months of 2029.

Studies are still underway to understand whether the vessels will be fully or partly electrified, or whether they will operate using some other form of propulsion. The government is also exploring the possibility of tapping EU funding to carry out the works.

The announcement comes just weeks after the Gozo Channel service was crippled by high demand over the Christmas period.

However, Schembri said, studies commissioned in recent years show that demand is far lower than the current fleet’s capacity for large chunks of time throughout the year.

Demand is less than 75 vehicles per hour, well below the current fleet’s carrying capacity, for over a third of the time, Schembri said.

However, demand jumps to anywhere between 375 and 525 vehicles per hour during rare extreme peak times.

In practice, this means the current fleet frequently operates vessels at less than full capacity at most times, while struggling to meet demand at peak times.

The new plan aims to address this issue, improving efficiency with the help of a new smaller vessel, while catering for high demand through the larger vessel, authorities say.

In addition to this, a task force to study infrastructural improvements to the Mġarr Harbour will be set up over the coming weeks, Bonett said.

Gozo Business Chamber: announcement offers certainty

The Gozo Business Chamber welcomed the development, which will see the 2029 fleet comprise four passenger vessels and a cargo vessel. 

"This represents an important development, reflecting both the substantial increase in traffic between the two islands and the positive economic momentum registered in recent years," it said.

It said the long-term plan provides certainty for the local community and the business sector. It said that a task force, due to be announced in the coming days, will be essential to ensure the investment is delivered. 

PN: Better late than never

The PN on Wednesday accused the government of copying its proposals and announcing investment in the channel fleet on the eve of an election.

The government's plan, it said, had been announced just a few days after a press conference by the Opposition in Ċirkewwa. It also followed chaos on both sides of the channel during the festive period.

"Better late than never. Even if we still have to wait at least another three years for the new vessels to arrive - since no tender has yet been issued and the government is still at the stage of drawing up designs and beginning work on the procurement process.

"The PN cannot but welcome this development with satisfaction, all the more so because it has been insisting for many years on exactly what the government announced today – even if 13 years late. All the more so because what was announced with great fanfare today by three ministers is, in fact, an exact photocopy of the proposals that the PN has been putting forward for years." 

Gozo Tourism Association: Investment in infrastructure essential

The Gozo Tourism Association welcomed the news of additional ferries by 2029, saying it was something it had called for for a number of years. 

However, the association insisted that inter-island connectivity could not be solely addressed through the addition of ferries.

"Complementary investment in infrastructure is now essential. Berths capable of accommodating five vessels must be developed at both Mġarr and Ċirkewwa to ensure smooth operations.

"With the expected increase in demand brought about by the expanded fleet, the road network, especially the routes leading to and from Mġarr, must be upgraded to meet future traffic flows," it added.