Work on an 80-year-old crumbling breakwater protecting Marsascala Bay kicked off on Friday, following the reconstruction of adjacent quays as part of a €1.9 million infrastructural project.

While the subsea structure of the outer half of the 30-metre breakwater is still standing, engineers on Friday explained that the inner half had practically disintegrated.

Earlier this week, Infrastructure Malta started demolishing parts of the breakwater that were about to cave in. Once these damaged sections are removed, a team of builders and divers will level the seabed to lay new foundations with large precast concrete blocks.

They will then consolidate the foundations of the outer half, which will be retained, before casting a wave wall, cope beams and a new concrete deck. 

Weather permitting, works will be complete by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, scoured by decades of sea erosion, the concrete surfaces of the quays, spread across 140 metres on Triq San Ġorġ, had cracked and pitted over recent years. Parts had even collapsed into the sea.

Infrastructure Malta rebuilt the quays using a safer design, including a wave wall to protect pedestrians and adjacent buildings from rough seas.

"This infrastructure project is important for the safety and security of vessels, and also for residents and those who visit Marsascala," Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia said on Friday during a site visit.

Farrugia added that the agency's maritime infrastructure team was currently rebuilding another breakwater at Marfa, in Mellieħa, and working to start developing a new 180-metre breakwater at Buġibba.

He said this project will also include a new passenger terminal to extend the existing Marsamxett and Grand Harbour public transport ferry services.

The two projects are co-financed by the EU.