Throughput at the Freeport this month is 12 per cent higher than in the same month last year, Malta Freeport Terminals said in a statement.

Giving an overview of operations last year, it said 2009 had been of paramount importance for the Freeport, which witnessed the realisation of various investment projects and the diverse strategies formulated to strengthen the performance levels attained.

The various measures pursued by the Freeport bore fruitful results as the number of containers reached the over 2.26 TEU mark, only slightly less than the 2.33 million TEUs of 2008, in spite of the recession.

Traffic volume increased by 53 per cent since 2006. Last year, the Freeport attracted additional shipping lines to its facilities.

The number of full-time equivalent employees at the Freeport stood at 1,258, the company said, denying media reports that it was to make 30 employees redundant.

“The Freeport – like any other transhipment port in the Mediterranean – is presently facing stiff competitive challenges but so far has not had to resort to redundancies since the container volumes being handled are in line with the level of workforce employed by the company,” it said.

Last year, Malta Freeport also invested €52 million in its facilities.