Second try for privatisation of super yacht facility

The Privatisation Unit, acting on behalf of the Government of Malta, has announced the launch of a fresh process for the privatisation of the Malta Super Yacht Services Facility.

Further to a call for expressions of interest in November 2008, the Privatisation Unit had issued four parallel Requests for Proposals, one for each of the four facilities which made up Malta Shipyards Ltd.

The privatisation processes for the ship repair facility and Manoel Island Yacht Yard facilities were successfully concluded. In contrast, t ... Read More

Consortium plans €6 million investment to upgrade Manoel Island Yacht Yard

A consortium is expected to invest €6 million to upgrade the Manoel Island Yacht Yard as it begins its operations today having taken it over for a period of 30 years.

The Manoel Island Yacht Yard consortium will start a process to recruit at least 70 employees and possibly more when it expands the 35,000-square metre facility on reclaimed land to be able to handle another 20 yachts and a crane, which could lift larger boats.

The take-over signing ceremony took place under a tent at the facility on the peninsula. The consortium will be making €25 million, including €18.8 mill ... Read More

Malta thrust to consolidate aircraft registration

Buoyed by its worldwide success in the maritime sector, Malta is now embarking on a parallel bid in the registration of aircraft. There are already a number of very interested aircraft owners, including one airline that by the end of the year will have 12 large aircraft on the Maltese register, and another that wants to register its helicopters.

Introducing the second reading of the Aircraft Registration Bill, Transport Minister Austin Gatt said it would modernise the situation in Malta regarding title to aircraft, as well as create the possibility of another outlet akin to the very successful registration of ships.

Not only had Malta achieved success in the latter sector since 1988-89, but from 27 ships the country now had more than 5,200 vessels registered with a tonnage of over 36 million. Malta's register was now one of the biggest in the world and the second biggest in the EU, but most importantly enjoying a very good reputation in the maritime sector.

Every party in government over the years had gone by a policy of agreement on strengthening the register. The service offered had always been recognised as one of the best, despite offering no tax advantage. The greatest reasons for this popularity were the very efficient service, open 24/7, unlike other registers, respecting both local and foreign legislation especially International Maritime Organ ... Read More

Ministry of Finance reveals offers for the ship repairs

Malta’s Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment, Tonio Fenech, expressed satisfaction during a press conference at the final offer for the local Malta Shipyard. Palumbo spa, an Italian ship ... Read More

€17m aviation park being built in Safi

An aviation park spanning 20 hectares and costing the government €17 million is being built on the outskirts of Safi to pave the way for SR Technics to start its aircraft maintenance operations there in August.

The park includes the current Medavia hangar, which will host SR Technics' facility until the latter's new hangar is completed near Lufthansa Technik at the airport's Gate Four in around three ... Read More

Leading aircraft maintenance firm to set up Malta base - employ 350

A new aircraft maintenance company is to be set up in Malta by Swiss-based SR Technics with assistance from Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks.

The new investment was announced at a press conference this morning by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.

The company will focus on the maintenance of commercial aircraft. It will initially use an existing hangar at Luqa airport before building its own facilities. The first aircraft will be received in the second half of next year. Major low-cost airline EasyJet will be the company's biggest client, with its 157 aircraft being serviced here.

The company is projected to employ 350 people by 2014.

Gulf-owned SR Technics is one of the top aircraft maintenance companies in Europe, headquartered in Zurich. It recently concluded a 10-year aircraft maintenance deal with EasyJet.

Prime Minister D ... Read More

New aircraft register set for January launch

With new legislation to establish an ambitious aircraft register and the setting up of the Malta Transportation (Regulatory) Authority both earmarked for January, Malta should be well positioned to tap into one of the European Union's newest business opportunities.

Interested parties have until Monday to give their feedback on the draft Aircraft Registration Act 2009 (mitc.gov.mt) and Transport Minister Austin Gatt hopes to present it to Cabinet within six weeks. Meanwhile, the Department of Civil Aviation, the Malta Transport Authority and the Malta Maritime Authority will complete their financial year and then merge into a single body on January 1.

Dr Gatt says Malta's bid to have a successful aircraft register aimed primarily at private jets has been spurred by the prosperity of Valletta's maritime register - now considered the world's seventh largest and the European Union's second - and by executives of Malta-domiciled financial services companies seeking to benefit from tax advantages by registering jets here.

Malta's main competitor jurisdiction for private jet registration within the EU is Ireland; globally it is u ... Read More

National Aircraft Register for Malta

The Transport Ministry has published draft legislation which would regulate the registra ... Read More

Interview: Placing Malta as a premiere yachting destination

Malta is increasingly becoming an important destination for the high end yachting market which is one of the fastest growing sectors in our economy. Gerald Fenech spoke to Ben Stuart, general manager at Camper and Nicholsons Grand Harbour Marina on their progress since starting operations in Malta and their plans for the future.

Camper and Nicholsons are a household name in the yachting industry worldwide and their operation at the Grand Harbour Marina has set the standards for the sector in Malta. How has the operation grown since the marina was inaugurated in 2005?

As Camper and Nicholsons we recently moved our operational office to Malta and are concentrating on expanding our worldwide presence. We currently own two other marinas, one in the Mediterranean and one in the Caribbean – which are in the construction phase – as well as a number of management agreements for the operation of other marinas. We strongly believe that Malta should continue to be our operational base and we are happy with the way things are going at the moment.

What about the marina at the Birgu Waterfront and how has that developed?

We are very pleased with the marina and as you may know we became a plc in the beginning of 2007 and have done extremely well at an operational level. We use it as a flagship marina and to introduce protocols and procedures which we would then introduce in other marinas, we have brought over people from ... Read More

A national integrated maritime policy for Malta – what governance to make the best of opportunities?

Article by Dr. Austin Gatt

Why an integrated approach is needed at both an EU and national level? If the sea is important to Europe’s well being and prosperity, it is vital for an island state like Malta. The sea is, at the same time, our trade connection to the rest of the world, one of our main tourism attractions, an essential recreational space, a source of food, and an important industry in its own right. If there was ever a country that needed an integrated approach to the way it deals with the sea, this is surely Malta.

We therefore welcome the European Commission’s efforts to develop and steer an Integrated Maritime Policy for the member states of the European Union. There is clear case for integration of policy efforts at a European level. On the one hand technology now allows us to extract ever more value from the sea, and more and more people flow to Europe’s coasts to benefit from the industrial and recreational value that it provides. On the other hand, the cumulated effect of all this activity is leading to conflicts of use and to the deterioration of the marine environment that everything else depends on. The time for silo policy making is over because policies on maritime trade effect the marine environment, those on marine environment have an impact on maritime leisure and so forth.

On a national level, an integrated approach to maritime policy is the answer ... Read More

Shipyards privatisation's role in international yachting project

The privatisation of Malta Shipyards will introduce reputable names in the yachting industry in Malta for both the super yacht facility in Cospicua and the Manoel Island Yacht Yard, Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Minister Austin Gatt said.

Writing in the eighth edition 2009-2010 of the magazine Yachting in Malta, which has just been launched, Dr Gatt said Malta has to focus on four key initiatives if it is to bec ... Read More

Gozo To Have Cruiseliner Berthing Facilities Shortly

Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, announced on Friday that the required permits in connection with berthing facilities for cruiseliners at Xlendi Bay have been issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA).

This a ... Read More

Malta to serve as North African off-shore launch pad

Rimorchiatori Riuniti, the Italian company which last year bought Tug Malta from government, intends to use its base in Malta to penetrate North Africa, The Malta Business Weekly has learnt.

The company’s chief executive, Gregorio Gavarone, sees the Mediterranean as a potential growth area following their long standing presence in Brazil, according to an interview with the Lloyd’s List.

“North Africa is going to develop fast in terms of port a ... Read More

Super Yacht Industry Network - Malta set to grow

The Super Yacht Industry Network - Malta has evolved into a fully fledged networking initiative, driven by a group of local companies offering a wide spectrum of yacht repair services.

The initiative was spurred by the need for more capacity felt by the leading industry service providers.

The iniative is facilitated by Malta Enterprise and is mainly focused on capacity and capability building in order to enhance the current quality of services and to build the ... Read More

Grand Harbour Marina scores a first

Grand Harbour Marina, located in the creek between Vittoriosa and Senglea in the shadow of Fort St Angelo, is the first marina in the Mediterranean to acquire IACS international certification for its super-yacht berths.

The marina is home berth to one of the world' ... Read More