A judge yesterday issued a provisional order stopping Viset Malta, operators of the cruise and ferry terminal in Valletta, from imposing a new set of fees on commercial vehicles using the passenger terminal.

Virtù Ferries, which runs the catamaran service to Sicily, said Viset had announced the introduction of a "terminal operator fee" and/or "fees in respect of port workers and their foremen" as of today. Such fees would be imposed on Virtù Ferries' clients or the public.

It objected and asked the First Hall of the Civil Court to issue a warrant of prohibitory injunction.

Virtù Ferries said they had been operating a passenger ferry service between Malta and Sicily for many years and had been berthing at Pinto Wharf, Gun Wharf, Wine Verandah and Deep Water Quay since 1998. Its passenger ferries also carried accompanied commercial vehicles that were driven by their owners without the need to involve third parties.

In 2001, the quays were passed on to Viset to operate as both a ferry and cruise liner passenger terminal.

Virtù Ferries said that since 1998 they had never been charged any fees by Viset in terms of commercial vehicles (RoRo) using the terminals. Fees in respect of port workers and their foremen were imposed by Transport Malta.

Then, on May 7, Viset let it be known that it would be charging fees. Virtù Ferries said that apart from being illegal, the new fees would negatively affect their business.

Virtù Ferries noted that the fees in question were already being contested in court in a case it had filed against the Transport Ministry and the Malta Maritime Authority (now Transport Malta).

Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco on Thursday upheld the request provisionally, ruling that both parties should make their final submissions this coming Thursday.

Viset said yesterday it would be seeking the lifting of the temporary injunction.

It said it would abide by the court orders "until otherwise notified but reiterates that it has acted at all times within the parameters of its concession and the law. It shall continue to provide its clients, including Virtù Ferries Ltd, with the highest levels of service as has been the practice to date but looks forward to a speedy resolution of this issue in the interests of all parties concerned."