New Pinto Wharf facilities to open on schedule in June

The Viset consortium has concluded the restoration of the old sea wall along Pinto Wharf as part of the Valletta Waterfront project.

The wall, which until recently had lain for decades buried under rubble and concrete, dates back to the construction of the Pinto Stores in 1752.

It will now serve as the shoreline for the Laguna which Valletta Waterfront is constructing between Pinto Stores and the cruise liner quay.

The sea wall, some 70 metres away from the modern shoreline, has a crescent shape reflecting the original Valletta waterfront.

These features will become an integral part of the enhanced promenade that will present this part of Valletta in the most attractive historical setting possible, said Chris Paris, manager operations at Viset plc, operators of Valletta Waterfront.

The restoration of the wall forms part of the Lm10 million Valletta Waterfront project, which is to be concluded by 2007. A third of the investment is going towards restoration, said Dirk Spiteri Lucas, business manager at VISET.

He said the project, which stretches over one kilometre, will include a second terminal, to be completed by June and to include 8,000 square metres of retail and catering area, 8,000 square metres of offices and a social and cultural centre at the old power station. Car parking facilities for a total of 3,300 vehicles will become available.

Following its construction in around 1750, the quay had quickly deteriorated, mainly due to the improper handling of cargo and the effects of the sea - the Grand Harbour breakwater, which calmed the port, was built by the British in the first decade of the last century.

In the 1770s, flights of steps were constructed to aid cargo handling and facilitate the harbour's operations. Moreover, those responsible for handling cargo were made responsible for any further damage to the sea wall.

Following these alterations, the old quay continued to present a stepped profile interrupted by slipways and ramps until the 19th century, when modifications became necessary to accommodate new types of ships.

The quay was heavily damaged in the second world war, resulting in many significant changes to the shoreline. Further changes occurred in the mid-1970s when the government embarked on a land reclamation project in order to accommodate cargo ships.

"The restoration of the sea wall, together with the slipway and steps that used to form the shoreline in the 18th century has been a long and difficult process.

"Valletta Waterfront was determined to ensure that as much of the original stonework as possible was retained. This meant that a lot of work had to be done by hand.

"In addition to this, any restoration work required detailed scientific analysis so that, as much as possible, the new work carried out used the same materials as the original construction," Mr Paris said.

He said that the bulk excavation to form the laguna's basin has been completed and work was proceeding with preparatory activities on the basin's bottom and side treatment. This work involved specialised underwater activities.

Restoration and exploratory works were also being carried out on the roof area of the old power station. This area was to be converted into an alternative walkway from the project towards Valletta and Floriana.

The newly restored area including the internal structures of the Pinto stores, together with its exterior incorporating the 18th century chapel, seawall, slipway and steps will add to the backdrop of Fort St Angelo, transforming this once dilapidated area into a historic setting with a unique atmosphere for a variety of activities, Mr Spiteri Lucas said.

He said the project was on schedule and the facilities at Pinto Wharf, which would be available to both passengers and the public, would open in June 2005.

Viset is marketing Malta as an attraction for visiting cruise liners with adverts on cruise industry magazines, by taking part in international fairs and through one-to-one meetings.

There were cruise liners which were stopping at Malta weekly and others came here one or twice a year. Passengers were satisfied with Malta although the product needed polishing up.

Mr Spiteri Lucas said prospects for next year were positive. When considering that the number of cruise liner passengers this year had dropped, one had to keep in mind that last year had been extraordinary because more ships than planned had stopped at Malta because of the Iraq war, he said.

The biggest fly and cruise business in Malta originated from Europe, namely German and British tourists. Although the biggest fly and cruise market was the US, getting US tourists to start their cruise from here was impossible before direct flights from Malta to the US and vice-versa started to be operated.

Mr Spiteri Lucas said that winter cruising opportunities in the Mediterranean were growing and cruises were also starting to visit Libya. This was beneficial for Malta as the chances were that cruises stopping at Libya would also call at Malta.