Liquigas Malta has filed a judicial protest claiming its competitor, Easygas had violated property rights and breached safety regulations.

The company said it had filed the protest after it noted how its green and yellow cylinders were being painted dark grey, filled by Easygas, and placed on the market as Easygas cylinders.

It said that over the past months it  filed several complaints with the Malta Resources Authority (MRA) which on its part issued a ‘cease and desist’ order to Easygas to stop it re-painting Liquigas cylinders, and to return the cylinders to Liquigas as their rightful owner.

Liquigas pointed out that traceability of individual cylinders was necessary in ensuring safety in dealing with pressure equipment being used in the carriage of inflammable products, such as gas cylinders.

Liquigas added that each cylinder is individually certified and through this certification, the ownership of the cylinder can be identified.

Liquigas said it was suffering damages because of Easygas’ behaviour, including the costs of having to repaint its cylinders in its own distinctive green colour and re-insert its own distinctive marks on the cylinders.

Liquigas recalled that in November 2011 it discovered that Easygas was sending Liquigas cylinders to Salerno in Italy to have them repainted dark grey, but the cylinders were released by the Italian authorities back into Liquigas’ possession.

In November 2013, video evidence was produced showing Easygas  filling Liquigas green and yellow cylinders. MRA had sealed off the illegal cylinder filling equipment.