Ship chandler goes to court over duty-free facilities

A ship chandler yesterday called on the Civil Court to declare that he was entitled to operate mobile facilities of duty-free supplies at Pinto Wharf, Valletta.

Emmanuel Degabriele filed a writ of summons in the Civil Court against Viset Malta plc, explaining that he ran a business supplying duty-free goods from a sea port and had obtained a licence from the Customs Department to operate a duty-free shop on January 26, 1997.

Degabriele added that his business was regulated by the Duty-Free Shop Regulations of 1991 as amended in 1994 and in 2002.

These regulations provided that the definition of a duty-free shop also included mobile facilities.

Degabriele claimed that in terms of these regulations he could provide duty-free supplies through mobile facilities in specified zones of the Malta coast line at the cruise and passenger ferry terminals.

But Viset Malta plc had been granted Pinto Wharf at the Grand Harbour on temporary emphyteusis so that it could develop the locality into an international cruise liner passenger terminal and an international passenger ferry terminal.

The company was bound, by the contract it signed with the government, to provide access free of charge from the quays to licensed suppliers and service providers.

But Degabriele said he had been prevented from operating from Pinto Wharf and was sustaining damages as a result of the company's actions.

He called on the court to declare that he was entitled to operate mobile facilities of duty-free supplies and that he could operate at Pinto Wharf, Valletta.

He also requested the court to order Viset to provide him with access to the area to sell his duty-free supplies.

Dr José Herrera and Dr Edward Zammit Lewis signed the writ.