Plans to build a new 110-metre breakwater and raise the height of an existing one in Marsaxlokk have not been abandoned, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg said.

“The planning permit is already in hand and we should have more information about this project in October,” Dr Borg said. He was contacte after complaints by the Marsaxlokk fishing community that although a breakwater had been promised for the last legislature, another winter was on its way with nowhere for their boats to shelter.

“Are they going to do something about this or not? This is our livelihood we are talking about,” veteran fisherman Tony Agius said.

Mr Agius was joined by a chorus of other Xlukkajri who vented their frustration that their vessels were being pounded by strong waves.

“And it’s become even worse since they built that gas storage facility. The current has changed and the waves that come in are now even stronger,” fisherman Alfred Camilleri said.

Last year, then fisheries parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes had promised the project would start soon amid complaints that it had been forgotten.

Some 300 boats are moored in the idyllic Marsaxlokk Bay, and while the larger vessels often raise anchor and head towards Grand Harbour in rough weather, smaller boats have no choice but to face the waves and wind head-on.

National Fisheries Cooperative president Marco Carabott has repeatedly raised concerns that dozens of fishermen had to spend long nights watching over their vessels in stormy weather drummed up with every sirocco wind.

Dr Borg said the project had been unanimously approved by the Planning Authority board a few weeks ago.

The government was now seeking to tap EU Maritime Affairs funds to help cover the costs. Works are expected to take around two years to complete.

The government intends to build a 110-metre long breakwater arm by Marsa-xlokk’s Ponta tal-Qrejten and to increase the height of an existing 150-metre-long breakwater on the Delimara side.

Initial plans to increase the breakwater’s length to 250 metres were discarded after marine research suggested that doing so would increase wave impact in other parts of the bay.

Environmental studies also advised against increasing the breakwater’s length by that much.

Dr Borg said a tender will soon be issued by Transport Malta and requirements were currently being evaluated by an external expert.