A 63 per cent increase was recorded in the number of new entries in the Maltese shipping register since 2012, Transport Minister Ian Borg said this afternoon.

Addressing a news conference at the Lower Barrakka Gardens to mark World Maritime Day, which will be celebrated next Thursday, he noted that Malta’s shipping register remained the largest in the EU and the sixth largest globally.

Up to the end of August, more than 8,000 ships with a combined gross tonnage of 74 million were flying the Maltese flag. 

READ: Last year, combined tonnage reached 66.2 million

Dr Borg pointed out that growth was also being registered in the superyacht industry, which registered a record 97 per cent increase in the number of new registrations.

More than 8,000 vessels fly the Maltese flag. Photo: ShutterstockMore than 8,000 vessels fly the Maltese flag. Photo: Shutterstock

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.