Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514336
11.01.2024 3 NEWS 11.01.2024 FROM PAGE 1 The 51-metre catamaran will car- ry 400 passengers and 20 cars or triple that number when it comes to motorbikes. The trip is expect- ed to take around 1hr 45 mins and fares will be amongst the most competitive and attractive for fer- ry crossings to Sicily. A previous attempt by another company – Ponte – to start a ferry service to Augusta in Sicily failed in 2023 after several judicial inter- ventions by Virtu' and difficulties with port authorities there. RagusaXpress patrons will be able to also take advantage of free parking in a secure location in the Porto di Ragusa apart from making use of well-priced rental facilities. The new ferry service to Ragu- sa became possible after a group of Maltese investors, led by Paul Gauci of PAMA and PAVI fame, took over ownership of the marina and the port area. The medium-sized catamaran that will be used on the Marina di Ragusa/Valletta link was built in 2001 and originally christened HSC San Giorgio, after the patron saint of Ragusa Ibla. It has now been renamed Ragusa Xpress and has undergone a two- year refit at MHH in Marsa. The catamaran has a new look and offers two floors with bars and amenities. On Wednesday morning, it left Grand Harbour for a sea trial that took it to the Porto di Ragusa. Aboard were a crew of seven and ten senior management officials, including Gauci himself. The Ragusa Xpress underwent a number tests under the supervi- sion of the port authorities in Ra- gusa to establish how the catama- ran will approach the harbour and the berthing procedures. The berthing in Ragusa was com- pleted without any hitches. Italian port authorities kept a watchful eye on the approach of the vessel in the port, which is also owned and operated by Gauci. Local Sicilian newspapers and the mayor himself welcomed Ra- gusaXpress as yet a golden oppor- tunity to increase business in the area. The Porto di Ragusa, owned by Gauci, also operates 23 outlets including restaurants, shops and amenity services together with a boat yard and extensive parking facilities. The combined population of Ragusa, Gela, Modica and Vitto- ria next to the Porto di Ragusa is 280,000 people and could very well be potential future clients of this new ferry service to Malta. The tourist port in Marina di Ra- gusa was developed after Tecnis, a consortium of Italian companies, was awarded a 60-year lease in 2005. The developed received €30 million in EU funds. The company went into liquida- tion in 2016, with a number of its top officials under investigation for fraud and misappropriation. Business Today revealed in Octo- ber 2022 that the Maltese invest- ment group, principally Gauci, assumed the debt still owed to Ital- ian banks by Tecnis, taking over the title to the lease of the port in Marina di Ragusa, following judi- cial approval. The marina in Marina di Ragusa is one of the best equipped in Sici- ly, with 700 berths for yachts of up to 50 metres. Welcome investment The Maltese investment in Mari- na di Ragusa has been welcomed in Ragusa, with locals hoping the sale would lead to an increase in tourist numbers. Ragusa mayor Peppe Cassì previ- ously told Business Today said the port in Marina di Ragusa was cru- cial for the region and was a point of reference for many boats visit- ing southern Sicily. He welcomed the Maltese invest- ment and said this could only help to further cement the strong ties the southern region of Sicily and Malta already enjoy. "Malta and Sicily are already linked by daily catamaran trips to Pozzallo," Cassì said. "I only hope that the Maltese investors involve the local region in the regenera- tion of the harbour." He confirmed that plans were in place for parts of the harbour to be dredged to allow for the berthing of larger vessels. New service will bring injection of new tourist arrivals in both Sicily and Malta The marina in Marina di Ragusa is one of the best equipped in Sicily, with 700 berths for yachts of up to 50 metres. Ragusa Xpress and has undergone a two-year refit at MHH in Marsa Ragusa Xpress is bound to have an impact on the pricing of ferry tickets