The Professional Diving Schools Association (PDSA) has proposed the scuttling of a tugboat off Exiles beach to serve as a diving attraction.

The preferred scuttling location is in 22 metres of water some 252m off St Julians point and 380m off the Portomaso breakwater. It is approximately 500m to the southeast of Merkanti Reef.

The proposal is subject to a public consultation by Mepa after an Environmental Planning Statement was commissioned by the Malta Tourism Authority. The  development application was submitted to MEPA in March 2009. The EPS was prepared by Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd.

The report says that the seabed in the area is gently sloping and is characterised by a diverse geomorphology / benthos arranged largely in wide bands running form a southwest to a northeast direction. Aerial photography of the Exiles area indicated the presence of a band of sand snaking out of the Balluta Bay / Spinola area towards the open sea and located in between two rocky areas that skirt the shoreline at Il-Qaliet / Portomaso and the Exiles areas, which are characterised by infralittoral algae and Posidonia oceanica meadows.

The proposed location for the scuttling of the tug boat.

The tugboat is 30m long, has a 7.5m beam and is 15.24m high, including the mast (9.5m to the top of the wheelhouse). It was built at Malta Drydocks, and was decommissioned after more than a decade in operation. It was originally owned and operated by Kalaxlokk Co. Ltd and in 2000 it was purchased by Bezzina Marine Services Ltd. The vessel has been docked at Bezzina Shipyards for the past 12 years, and it has recently undergone the necessary cleaning and preparation for use as a diving wreck.

The report says the potential change in bottom currents and sediment movement as a result of the scuttling is expected to be of minor significance environmentally. As long as the vessel is properly cleaned impact on water quality is expected to be minimal. However, since minor quantities of materials that may become detached and float to the surface is a real possibility in any scuttling operation, the applicant will request the services of an Oil Pollution Response operator to assist in the recovery of any such material.

The presence of the wreck is expected to result in a beneficial impact related to the
physical presence of new space for colonisation and attraction of fish and other
pelagic organisms, whereas impacts through attraction of new species and changes in ecological relationships or from increased human pressure would be monitored.

Nine wrecks have been scuttled for diving by various organisations / entities over the past twenty or so years: the MV Rozi and the former patrol boat P29 in Cirkewwa, the Um El Faroud in Zurrieq, the Imperial Eagle off Qawra Point, the MV Xlendi, the MV Cominoland, and the MV Karwela at ix-Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo, the tug boats number Ten and the St Michael at Zonqor Point, Marsascala, and the former patrol boat P31 off Comino.