PORTS & YACHTING DIRECTORATE

Transport Malta's Ports and Yachting Department is responsible for the regulation, supervision and management of maritime activities taking place in Malta's ports and territorial waters. It also ensures the efficient use of our ports and marine facilities, ensuring that users and providers of port services comply with legislation and contractual obligations. The Directorate also provides technical advice and assistance to government and private entities when organizing maritime events in our ports and territorial waters. These tasks are undertaken to ensure the right balance in the use of local waters for recreational and commercial operations. In addition, the Ports and Leisure Branch is also involved in projects related to the maritime industry, and provides assistance to Infrastructure Malta in projects undertaken by the government entity in maritime infrastructure projects, including the construction of new breakwaters, berthing facilities, slips, new pontoons, improvement and reconstruction of wharves and other coastal structures. In addition, the Ports and Yachting Department is also providing advice and support for the Grand Harbour Clean Air project, which will include the five main docks used by cruise ships, three on the Pinto dock in Floriana, the Deep-Water dock in Marsa and the Boiler dock in Senglea. The system will enable ships to connect to the shore power system and switch off their engines as soon as they arrive in port. In addition to the above, the Ports and Yachting Department is responsible for the promotion of port services and maritime activities, the preservation of order in internal and territorial waters, including navigational safety, the compliance and regulation of international and European legislation and directives, the prevention and control of pollution, including the provision of port reception facilities for ship-generated waste, the provision of a safe and efficient maritime transport system, the provision of technical nautical services, fire-fighting facilities, supplies and other ship requirements, the regulation of marine leisure and recreational facilities, the compilation of marine statistics and the organization of popular bays and bathing areas, including the annual safety at sea campaign. The Direction de la Marine Marchande is responsible for ship registration and the provision of all ancillary services. It is also responsible for the regulation, control and administration of all matters relating to merchant shipping, the certification of seafarers, the promotion of Malta's relations in international shipping fora, and the administration and implementation of international maritime conventions and agreements. Transport Malta's head office is at Malta Transport Centre, Triq Pantar, Ħal Lija LJA 2021, Malta.