During an official visit to Malta, the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, met with the Minister for Sustainable Mobility, Chris Bonett, for discussions on the future of European maritime transport, decarbonisation goals and the specific needs of Malta as an island country.
Minister Chris Bonett welcomed the Commissioner to the Onshore Power Supply facility in the Grand Harbour, an advanced infrastructure that allows ships to turn off their engines within the Port.
The system, which was the first of its kind in a Mediterranean port, is available on five quays in the Grand Harbour and is designed to reduce emissions in the port by up to 90%. This investment has direct benefits for air quality and the environment, in particular for the thousands of families living around the Grand Harbour.
Meanwhile, Minister Bonett also explained how works are progressing on the second phase of this project on other parts of the Grand Harbour, including the area where our country receives cargo ships. In addition, other OPS installations are being carried out at the Birżebbuġa Freeport.
These initiatives continue to strengthen Malta’s position as one of the countries most prepared in Europe to reduce emissions from ships while in ports, while offering a modern and sustainable maritime infrastructure.
Following the visit to the Grand Harbour, the European Commissioner held a bilateral meeting with Minister Chris Bonett, where the strategic importance of the maritime sector for Malta and the particular challenges our country faces as an island were discussed. During the meeting, Minister Bonett emphasised that Malta depends on the sea to receive essential supplies, including food and medicines. He explained how European policy and legislation in the transport sector must take into account the specific realities of countries such as Malta and the need to maintain reliable and competitive connectivity.
The Minister stressed that Malta supports the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable maritime transport, but that any new legislation should not hinder the country’s connectivity or weaken its competitiveness. “Malta is committed to continuing to invest in technologies and infrastructure that reduce emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future. However, we must ensure that the transition is not made to the detriment of the connectivity or competitiveness of the Maltese maritime sector,” said Minister Bonett.
Minister Bonett said that Malta will be the bridge to reach an agreement between various Member States on the future of this industry. He concluded by reiterating that Malta will continue to work closely with the European Commission to achieve common decarbonisation goals and targets, while fully protecting Malta’s specific rights, interests and needs.
Photos: MSM
