The summer season in Malta brings with it an influx of people making use of our coast to spend some time at sea, so it is important that we enjoy the sea in an appropriate manner without posing danger to ourselves or others.
This was stated by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Aaron Farrugia during the launch of an educational campaign, led by Transport Malta (TM), with the name of Fuq il-Baħar, Moħħok Hemm. The main aim of this campaign is to raise awareness on how to practice safety at sea—particularly during the summer season.
Minister Farrugia said that while education is important, proper enforcement ensures that rules are being adhered to. Here he thanked the TM Maritime Enforcement Officers who work tirelessly, especially during the summer season, to keep Malta’s seas safe, as much of this work brings with it long hours away from family and working in hot weather conditions. The Minister reiterated that the government is committed to working on every level to increase safety and security, and remarked that responsible behaviour is as essential at sea as it is on land.
This year’s campaign shall focus on the following:
1) The use of life jackets
2) The proper use of malls and slipways
3) Notices to Mariners
4) Fairways
5) Waste management at sea
6) Playing music at sea
7) Excessive velocity
8) The proper use of swimmer designated zones
9) Mooring of boats
10) The transportation of boats on a carriage
11) The proper use of kill chord
12) The cleaning of boats.
This event was also addressed by the Director for Maritime Enforcement within TM Patrick Pollacco, and was attended by Deputy CEO Kevin Farrugia and Enforcement Directorate Manager Rudolph Muscat together with a number of officials for maritime enforcement.
