Plans for 21 new yacht marinas and 4,800 berths

Twenty-one yacht marinas across Malta and Gozo are being proposed in order to cater for a soaring demand for berths.

Eleven of the marinas will be permanent and the rest will be temporary berths open only in the summer months, together providing almost 4,800 berths. Dock Number 1 in Cospicua, now a derelict state, is already undergoing a €60,000 revamp to become a seasonal marina catering for 62 boats.

The move, announced by Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt yesterday, comes as demand for berths continues to increase. In fact, at the moment there is a demand for 2,300 berths but only 1,511 are available, according to Malta Maritime Authority CEO Stanley Portelli. Moreover, demand is growing by about 100 berths a year plus requests for another 150 berths are made annually by visiting foreigners. About 1,000 yachts visit Malta each summer and this is expected to treble over the next seven years.

The permanent marinas will have 3,720 berths and the temporary ones will have 1,059.

Dr Gatt said the projects would pump money into the economy through increased business and tourism in the earmarked areas.

The government will not be involved in the investment but calls will be made to the private sector. If there is no interest in a particular site, the project there will be shelved as "it would be suicidal for the government to go ahead and do it".

Permanent marinas are being proposed at the Sliema Strand, with space for 500 berths; at Ta' Xbiex - 100 berths; two options at Sa Maison - 370 and 470 berths respectively; one in the south of Manoel Island - 280 berths and one in Valletta, with space for 300 berths.

Two options of marinas are being proposed at Kalkara Creek, with space for 250 berths for each of the options and one at the Marsa Menqa, with space for 170 berths. Other potential sites are the Veċċja area in St Paul's Bay, Marsascala, St Julians and Birżebbuġa, with space for 170, 380, 470 and 270 berths respectively.

The temporary marinas, which will be available between June and September, are closer to tourist areas. The seven proposed sites are: Mġarr in Gozo, Ċirkewwa, the Veċċja area in St Paul's Bay, Qalet Marku in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Spino in St Julians, Ta' Xbiex, Sa Maison, Kalkara, Marsascala and Birżebbuġa.

Infrastructural costs for permanent marinas vary from site to site but range between €32 million in the case of Sliema and Birżebbuġa to €30 million for the one in St Julians, to €7 million for one of the options in Kalkara, which would require the building of a temporary breakwater.

The cost would rise to €20 million if the breakwater needs to be constructed permanently. These price tags do not include the installation of marina equipment, estimated at €8,000 per berth.

The MMA will be receiving feedback on its proposals until May 29 and then issue its conclusions by June 19. It is expected to issue a request for proposals for the temporary marinas in September. The authority will carry out environmental impact assessments on permanent sites in October this year and issue the requests for proposals a year later. Archaeological studies still have to be carried out.