Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurates the Buġibba Breakwater and Ferry Facilities Project
- Tender to be issued for ferry service linking Sliema to Gozo with a stopover in Buġibba – free ferry service between Buġibba and Sliema
Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the breakwater and ferry landing project in Buġibba. Prime Minister Abela reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening domestic sea transport. He announced that a call for proposals will be issued for private operators to manage a new sea transport service connecting Sliema, Buġibba, and Gozo. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency and uptake of sea transport, not only along the main channel and routes to the main ports, but also across other key coastal areas. The Prime Minister added that the use of this service will be further encouraged through a number of free routes, including the one between Buġibba and Sliema.
With an investment of nearly €14 million, partly financed through European funds, Infrastructure Malta has successfully completed the construction of a new breakwater in Buġibba on schedule. Stretching 180 metres in length, the breakwater is designed to reduce the impact of waves within the bay and provide enhanced protection for the mooring of fishing boats and small vessels. Along with the main breakwater, a 36-metre-long secondary arm was constructed to provide enhanced shelter and safer mooring during adverse weather conditions together with a terminal equipped with sheltered waiting areas and other facilities which serve the needs of passengers travelling by sea.
The Prime Minister mentioned that this year, expenditure on capital investment projects is expected to exceed €1 billion. This is double the amount spent under the previous administration. This level of infrastructural investment is the result of the government’s efforts to further strengthen and grow a dynamic and resilient economy, as well as its success in securing a substantial package of European funds. These funds are, among others, being channelled into infrastructure projects that deliver tangible value and improved quality of life for citizens.
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Chris Bonett, explained how the new Buġibba breakwater and ferry landing represent another step forward in the Government’s vision for sea transport. He noted that the unprecedented investment in this sector over recent years has led to record increases in the number of Maltese passengers using sea transport services. The Buġibba terminal will support a new fast ferry service operating between Tas-Sliema and Mġarr, Gozo. Minister Bonett added that the sea transport service will be integrated with land transport to create a truly multi-modal transport system for the country. “With the potential offered by this alternative means of transport, today we’ve reached an important milestone that will make daily life easier for many Maltese and Gozitans. In the years to come, sea transport will reach the next level, because the greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity”, concluded Minister Bonett.
Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, explained that this project is part of a broader initiative called SMITHS, through which significant investments are being made across Malta and Gozo for eco-friendly transport and alternative means of travel by sea and land. He stated that the Buġibba project is part of this vision, which, through substantial investment from European funds, is providing the public with new and practical travel options. “With the help of EU funds, we are building more sustainable and efficient alternatives to traditional transport, options that not only ease traffic on land but also offer better and more sustainable connections for Malta’s northern region”, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi said.
