Boat owner 'prevented from berthing'

A boat owner yesterday claimed that a pleasure cruise company and the captain of a vessel were preventing him from using his berth at the Sliema Ferries.

In a judicial protest filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court, Joseph Gheiti held Alliance Cruises Co Ltd, Francis Montebello, the captain of the vessel San Carlos II, and the Malta Maritime Authority (Yachting Directorate) liable in damages.

He claimed that he operated a boat Sansone, for touristic purposes within the harbour and that he had a berth near the Sliema bus terminus.

However, he claimed that Alliance Cruises Co Ltd and Montebello were berthing their vessels in such a manner as to deprive him of access to his own berth.

Although Gheiti had reported this matter many times to the Malta Maritime Authority no action had been taken to solve the problem.

On the other hand, when Alliance Cruises Ltd had filed a complaint about Gheiti, the authority's representative was on site in less than 15 minutes.

Gheiti concluded his protest by claiming that the inertia on the part of the authority had led to a number of incidents between the parties and he held respondents liable in damages.

Dr Frank Cassar signed the protest.