Call for operation of Gozo ferry service out soon

The government is to issue a call for expressions of interest from companies wishing to operate the passenger and cargo service between Malta and Gozo, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has announced.

He explained in Parliament that the contract of service of Gozo Channel expires on April 16, 2010. The company has been providing the service for 30 years.

Mr Fenech said that in order to conform to EU competition rules, the service needed to be liberalised.

However, since it was felt that there were no grounds for having more than one operator, the competition element would be introduced through a call for expressions of interest by companies wishing to provide the service for a number of years under a number of conditions considered advantageous to consumers and in consideration of Gozo's social and economic needs.

The call will be issued in the coming months.