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MALTATODAY 12 September 2021

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13 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2021 Annual increase in boats, which may sail outside Maltese waters 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 +102 +61 +26 +190 +62 +39 +16 +244 +93 +36 +188 +89 +34 +194 +84 +59 +140 +50 +33 +177 +71 +34 +185 +32 +31 +263 +114 +83 1-12m 13-23m 24-36m Over 36m Annual increase in boats which may sail outside Maltese waters, and those under 24m which can only sail in Maltese waters registered in small ships registry: 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 +202 +452 +307 +450 +374 +556 +323 +600 +349 +556 +231 +523 +283 +523 +251 +582 +462 +734 Can sail out of Maltese waters Under 24m 18,000 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2,733 12,642 2,935 13,094 3,242 13,544 3,616 14,100 3,939 14,700 4,288 15,256 4,519 15,779 4,802 16,302 5,053 16,884 5,515 17,618 Can travel outside Maltese waters Within Maltese waters* Total number of boats registered *Boats under 24m that sail only in Maltese waters are in the Small Ships register JAMES DEBONO THE number of pleasure crafts registered in Malta has increased from 15,375 in 2012 to 23,133 in 2021 – an increase of 50.5% over 2012. The number includes yachts which can navigate outside Maltese waters, whose number alone doubled 2,733 in 2012 to 5,515 in 2021. Data provided to MaltaToday by Transport Malta shows that many more spent their savings on boats during the pandemic year, which was marked by lower spending due to lockdowns and other restrictions. In 2021, 1,196 new boats were registered, bringing the total up by 5.5% over the previous year: the sharpest increase in the past decade. This includes a 9% in- crease in the number of boats which can navigate outside Maltese waters, whose number increased from 5,053 in 2020 to 5,515 in 2021. The number of boats restricted to Maltese waters which are registered in the small ships register, has also gone up by 734 over 2020 figures. In another indication of the growth in conspicuous consumption amongst the rich, very large boats over 24m increased from just 196 in 2012, to 582 in 2021 (197%). During the COVID year, the number of these boats increased from 554 in 2020 to 639 in 2021, a 15% increase in a single year. Then, boats of over 36m increased from 28 in 2012 to 96 in 2021, a staggering 243% increase. Transport Malta did not provide MaltaToday with a breakdown of how many boats were owned by Maltese residents and how many are owned by non-residents. The increase in the num- ber of pleasure boats also suggests that as Maltese beaches become ever more crowded, those who can afford a boat are securing their own 'quiet spot' in the sea and their passage to nearby holiday destinations like Sicily and Italy. But even this p h e n o m e n o n is aggravating environmental problems, such as contributing to over-crowd- ing in beau- ty spots like Comino and triggering a de- mand for more berthing spaces and yacht mari- nas in Maltese bays. Transport minister Ian Borg recently went on re- cord justifying a new ma- rina in Marsaskala bay be- cause "more Maltese are buying pleasure boats". It turns out that his statement was correct. But should the State facilitate an activity that is increasing pressures on Maltese beaches and coastal areas? jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 'Best of times' for boat owners: pleasure boats increase by 7,700 since 2012 Malta has over 23,000 boats in its waters, but the pandemic saw a sharp increase in boat purchases, as well as acquisitions of large boats of over 36m Data provided to MaltaToday by Transport Malta shows that many more spent their savings on boats during the pandemic year, which was marked by lower spending due to lockdowns and other restrictions

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