For the past three weeks, a houseboat has evoked a lot of curiosity ever since it appeared in the water three weeks ago in the heart of St Julian’s Bay. The houseboat is the current home of its owner, Alan Agius, who has been planning it for about three years.

“What made me go for something like this is the comfort of it. You don’t get this on a normal boat where everything is tight and narrow. I have 60 square metres of flat space, plus it is 98% green and totally off the grid by solar power,” he says as he ferries us from the shore to his houseboat on a dinghy.

As we circle the boat we are immediately struck by the size of it. He ties up the dinghy and we step onto the deck area of the boat, named Taralola, after Alan’s two daughters.

As we settle onto the outdoor sofas, Alan recounts how it all started when he came across the concept of river boats. It sparked off an idea: why not build one for Malta?

Alan, who has owned speed boats over the years, always had a passion for the sea. So he started doing some homework. He came across a German-designed hull patented for sea use. So he bought the hull and the aluminium structure from a company based in Italy, and the boat was then built in Malta in the space of three months. The nine-ton houseboat, which measures five metres by 12, cost him €160,000.

The boat was built in Malta in three months

Once built, it was registered after it was inspected by a surveyor who ensured all components were marine grade. The construction included the building of the lightweight aluminium frame onto the three floating hull parts and the inclusion of water, electricity, plumbing and decking.

The boat functions like a normal boat with two outboard engines and a steering wheel. “It functions like a normal boat, but I have to be more cautious about the weather since it is open,” he says.

Then comes the exciting part. We step into a kitchen-living room – that looks like it was cut out of an apartment and pasted onto a boat: there are no tiny cupboards or minuscule refrigerator. Everything is normal household size.

He opens a large kitchen cupboard that looks like a pantry from the outside. But inside there are lots of twinkling devices: this is the heart of the houseboat – the control panels, solar-powered batteries, internet box and fire alarm system.

“I am completely off the grid,” he says, explaining that the houseboat has 16 solar panels on the roof that charge the batteries to cover the electricity required at night. This includes air conditioning.

The plumbing works the same way as that of a normal house, except that it then goes into a holding tank and is disposed of when out at sea – as is the case with any other boat. The water basin and showers are supplied with water generated from the onboard desalinator that converts seawater into potable water. And the water is heated using a smart gas water heater that heats water instantly.

Alan admits the past three weeks have been very exciting.

“I’m testing at the moment. So far, I am going to nearby bays. I had to move the fridge from one side of the living room to the other because of the weight.

“I need to increase buoyancy, so in September, I’m taking it up to add another two floats to the hull,” he says. Next year, he plans to build a roof terrace on the top of his houseboat.

Alan smiles at some of the curious comments his boat is generating on social media.

“People have questioned the plumbing, for example. Of course, I don’t just dump waste at sea. That is illegal.”

Will this be the first of a houseboat trend in Malta’s waters?

“I don’t know. All I know is that I have mine and I have all the permits and I’m loving it.”