Delayed authorisation leads to judicial protest

A ship owning company has filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court complaining that one of its vessels was not unloaded at the ports in a regular manner.

MA.RE.SI Ltd filed its protest against the Malta Maritime Authority and against Charles Schembri, Richard Gabriele, Stanley Castillo and George Ciantar.

The company said it owned the vessel Island Seaway that carried merchandise between Malta and Italy. On August 16 the vessel reached the Malta pilot station at 6.35 a.m. and four other vessels reached the pilot station in the following two hours.

It was standard practice at the harbour for vessels to be unloaded in the order they arrived at Malta. The only exception to this rule was when passenger ships were given priority over cargo vessels.

However, on August 16 the vessel Island Seaway was only given authorisation to enter the port almost three hours after it had arrived at the pilot station. The four vessels that arrived in Malta after Island Seaway were given the authorisation before the company's ship. This delay meant loss of time for the company and also the possibility of having to pay extra charges in the way of overtime to the port workers.

MA.RE.SI Ltd concluded its protest by formally calling upon respondents to remedy the situation and to ensure that it would not recur. The company also held respondents liable in damages.

Dr Jos. A Schembri signed the protest.