Updated 3.40pm, adds Malta Maritime Forum statement

The aviation and maritime sectors are being hived off Transport Malta in what will mean a return to the autonomy they enjoyed a few years ago.

The maritime sector used to be handled by the Malta Maritime Authority before it was absorbed by Transport Malta in 2010. Aviation was a government directorate, which will now become an authority.

Transport Minister Ian Borg said that while the Transport Authority was performing its functions very well, given the transport sector’s dynamic state, fast-paced growth and current and future challenges for the aviation, maritime and land sectors, the need was felt for independent authorities for these sectors.  

He assured employees their conditions would not be affected and this was actually an opportunity for advancement. 

Transport Malta was originally founded at ADT, the Transport Authority, and had also been responsible for road-building before that responsibility was assigned to Infrastructure Malta.

The Transport Ministry has set up a working group led by Chief Judge Emeritus Joseph Azzopardi to handle the necessary changes for the new set-up from a legislative, administrative and industrial point of view in order to de-merge Transport Malta into three independent authorities responsible for aviation, maritime and land transport respectively, operating under a co-ordinated governance structure.

The other members of the working group will be Robert Musumeci, Roberto Cristiano and Karl La Ferla. 

Malta Maritime Forum welcomes the news

The minister’s statement was welcomed by the Malta Maritime Forum which said this had been one of its requests for the Budget.

In a statement, it said that through the amalgamation of a number of entities and departments into Transport Malta, the priority required by the maritime industry had been diluted.