Gozo Channel Company's 30-year-old ferry service between Malta and Gozo will end on April 16, 2010. The service must be liberalised so that Malta will conform to competition laws and regulations.
Answering a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Ċensu Galea, Economy Minister Tonio Fenech said there did not seem to be space for more than one operator. The competitive element would, therefore, be introduced through a call for tenders by whoever was interested in offering the service for a set number of years.
Conditions would be set to be advantageous to the consumer, and in consideration of social and economic needs particular to Gozo and the Gozitans.
The call for tenders would be made in the next few months.