Boiler Wharf to become cruise ship berth in July

The first cruise liner will berth at Boiler Wharf in July, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Austin Gatt announced in Parliament last night.

Boiler Wharf, alongside Senglea, forms part of Malta Shipyards but was not been included in the dockyard facilities which are to be privatised.

The government said last year that Boiler Wharf needed to be used for cruise liners because there was not enough space at Valletta Waterfront.

In an effort to improve berthing possibilities at Valletta Waterfront, Viset, the company which operates the terminal, is currently in the final stages of work to remove the ro-ro ramp which juts out of the quay. The removal of the ramp will extend available quay space, making it possible for longer ships to berth there.

The Malta Maritime Authority has also started work on the laying of a buoy to enable cruise ships to moor off Xlendi, Gozo.

Dr Gatt also announced in his speech that a large shed at Boiler Wharf is to be converted into a museum of industrial heritage.

Last year 400 cruise liners carried 556,000 passengers to Malta, an increase of 14 percent over the previous year.