Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533530
3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 21 MARCH 2025 NEWS GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 EDITOR: PAUL COCKS Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Also present, Michael Galea, President of the Gozo Business Chamber, emphasized the need for a long-term vision, calling for the replacement of Gozo Channel's fleet with a more sus- tainable, efficient, and expanded service. "Once the port infra- structure is improved, the next step will be to have five vessels in the Gozo Channel fleet to ensure a more efficient and continuous service". Galea said that for Gozo con- nectivity is the foundation of sustainable development and the opportunities we can create for future generations, while also sustaining our present social and economic life. Between 2018 and 2023, mar- itime trips between the Maltese islands increased from 23,619 in 2018 to 44,354 in 2024, an increase of almost 88%; vehi- cles crossing between the two islands rose from 1,659,902 in 2018 to 2,088,792 in 2023, a rise of nearly 26%; and the number of people crossing increased from 5,758,318 to almost 6,873,444, a rise of just over 19% compared to 2018. Galea highlighted that the har- bour is 50 years old, and has be- come outdated. "It is now too small to accommodate the large maritime traffic we experience, including Gozo Channel ferries, fishing boats, fast ferries, and yachts. The maritime traffic is heavy, and without change and improvement, the situation will continue to worsen." "Therefore, there is an urgent need to modernise and expand the port to handle both current and future traffic. This invest- ment should include new termi- nals, space for cargo handling, and facilities that will support the island's economic growth. Such developments would pro- vide new opportunities for our businesses and make it easier for Gozo to attract new invest- ment," Galea said. Internal connectivity Furthermore, Galea em- pathised the importance of strengthening Gozo's internal connectivity. "Currently, Gozo relies on one main road to con- nect the port with the rest of the island. Along with the extension of the Mgarr Harbour, there is a need for a new road, of which plans are already in place. "It has become extremely difficult for us, the people of Gozo, to continue depending on a single road. Traffic to and from Malta has increased to the point where the port requires a second road to provide a real solution to these challenges." "The Chamber believes that this project should be carried out in consultation with the Gozo community, with a long- term plan that ensures this ad- ditional route not only reduces congestion but also improves transport accessibility across the island," Galea said. Malta can apply for a fourth EU funded Gozo ferry During the conference, MEP Peter Agius presented "tangible sources" of EU Funds to upgrade Gozo's connectivity. He said that the government can, "from this very moment place connectivity for Gozo at the top of the na- tional agenda by exploring the use of European funding to com- mission new ferries for Gozo as part of the national program un- der the European Climate Fund, which must be submitted this year." Apart from this, Agius said that the government should commit to making inter-island connec- tivity one of the main "main priorities in the next Multian- nual Financial Framework of the European Union." Furthermore, Agius emphasised that connec- tivity is a necessity, not a luxury and outlined the urgent need for investment in modern, efficient, and sustainable transport solu- tions. Nationalist Party Leader Ber- nard Grech also reiterated the PN's commitment to improv- ing connectivity between Gozo and Malta. "Gozo deserves bet- ter, and we must demand what is rightfully ours. We don't just make promises—the PN is tak- ing action with real results", he said. Success stories abroad and the social impact Visiting lecturer at the Univer- sity of Malta Karl Agius shared insights on how other European islands from the Balearic Islands to Sicily have successfully lever- aged EU funds to enhance their transport networks. Moreover, regarding sustain- ability, Agius pointed to exist- ing technologies and success- ful implementations abroad as models for Gozo's future. "The technology exists," Agius said, referencing the next generation of electric ships used on islands in Spain and Denmark, with the latter benefitting from EU funds to retrofit their ferry fleets to be- come fully electric. "In Spain, ferries are already using electric ships, and in Esto- nia, a tender has been released to make use of the European Mod- ernisation Fund. Gozo too must make use of EU funds." he said. Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino al- so discussed the social and eco- nomic impacts of maritime con- nectivity on island communities, stressing that improved trans- port links would not only benefit daily commuters but also boost Gozo's economy and tourism industry. "Connectivity is not a privilege but a right". The event also featured an international case study with Cecile Larsen, Project Manager for Ærøfærgerne in Denmark, who presented the EU-funded project that led to the launch of Ellen, a fully electric ferry. She illustrated how Gozo could follow a similar path by securing EU support for greener trans- port solutions. Connectivity is the foundation of sustainable development in Gozo, Chamber CEO says PN MEP Peter Agius addressing stakeholders on the merits of EU funding to improve Gozo's connectivity