Malta-based Mariner Group is planning to set up a multi-million euro international freight distribution and warehousing hub on a 70,000 square metre site in Bengħajsa.

“The proposed project seeks to apply Mariner’s expertise to harness the potential arising from the proximity of both the Freeport and the international airport,” Marin Hili, whose group is behind the project, said.

Mariner group currently owns and manages 36,000 square metres of warehousing space within the Baltic Container Terminal in the Freeport of Riga, Latvia. The company wants to mirror its Baltics success in Malta.

“We have acquired a lot of experience and have the added advantage of already knowing the requirements of large companies who are now our clients,” Mr Hili said.

Mariner will be eyeing to attract large international companies opting to use Malta as their international distribution gateway into Europe and North Africa.

Companies, particularly from the Far East, normally require such facilities in order to ease the delivery of their goods into European and African markets.

The facilities, which will include cold storage and reefer warehousing, will aim at attracting international clients wanting to store a wide variety of goods including perishable goods such as foodstuffs in temperature controlled facilities.