Minister apologises for ferry incidents

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech apologised for mishaps involving the ferry service to Gozo when inaugurating a car deck on one of the ships yesterday.

Speaking on board the refurbished Ta’ Pinu ferry ship, Mr Fenech referred to a recent incident that saw the ferry boat leave 45 minutes late following a request by the Victoria local council to wait for the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

“I apologise to passengers. It should never have happened,” Mr Fenech said when asked whether such behaviour breached contractual obligations.

Gozo Channel operates a scheduled ferry service on a six-year contract, awarded by the government after a competitive tender.

Mr Fenech said the company board gave clear instructions to captains and terminal managers for ships to leave on time.

In any case, they should not wait for more than five minutes.

He also apologised for the long delays over the weekend after one of the only two ships in service experienced problems with its ramp and could not be used.

Asked about another incident this week where passengers claimed Gozo Channel workers raised the ramp while people were still standing on it, Mr Fenech urged the anonymous passengers to come forward with their version of events.

Gozo Channel had initially blamed passengers for the incident, saying they tried to stop the ship from leaving by getting on to the ramp and delaying its departure so that other passengers could board. The company then said it would investigate the case.

Mr Fenech said that it would have been wrong if the ramp was raised while passengers were on it, but the company was looking into the incident to determine exactly what happened.

“The company’s first reaction was based on the information it received from the captain and the crew. I urge the passengers who highlighted the incident to come forward with their version of events,” he said.

The ferry service is now operating with three ships after refurbishment works on the Ta’ Pinu were completed.

The ship has a new hoistable car deck, which increases car capacity from 85 to 150.

The additional car capacity would help the company cut waiting time for passengers and contribute to greater efficiency, according to Gozo Channel chairman Paul Curmi.

The investment on Ta’ Pinu amounted to €4 million.