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TRIPS between Malta and Gozo increased by almost 20% dur- ing the third quarter of 2026, according to figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The NSO report, which com- pares sea transport between the two islands from July to Septem- ber 2026 with the correspond- ing period in 2025, found an increase in trips, passengers and vehicles overall. September was the busiest month in terms of trips, while August recorded the highest number of passengers. Throughout the three-month period, a total of 14,417 trips were carried out, transporting 2,141,312 passengers. Compared to the corresponding period in 2025, trips increased by 19.5%, while passenger numbers rose by 2.5%. However, passenger traffic between Mġarr and Ċirkewwa declined by 3.3%, with a total of 1,654,505 passengers travelling along the route. Meanwhile, the fast ferry ser- vice between Mġarr and Valletta recorded a 5.8% increase in trips compared to the same period in 2025. A total of 2,991 trips were carried out, transporting 343,046 passengers. Services connecting Mġarr with Sliema and Buġibba also recorded increased activity com- pared to the two months preced- ing July. Weekends remained the busi- est period for passenger traffic, with Saturdays and Sundays re- cording the highest volumes. Despite the decline in passen- gers travelling between Mġarr and Ċirkewwa, vehicle traffic in- creased by 1%, reaching a total of 606,745 vehicles. At the Mġarr terminal, vehicle traffic was highest on Sundays and Mondays. Meanwhile, vehicle traffic de- parting from Ċirkewwa peaked on Fridays and Saturdays, which were also the busiest days for passengers travelling from the terminal. Two more ferries in 2029 and €20 million in upgrades To cope with the increasing number of passengers, trips, and vehicles, the Gozo Channel will have two more ferries added to their fleet in 2029. One of the ferries will be able to carry 250 vehicles at once and will cost €65 million, as this ship will be used during the peak hours of traffic between the two islands. The other ship will be able to carry 75 vehicles at a time, and will cost €45 million. The cur- rent vessels in the Gozo Channel fleet carry 150 vehicles. With regard to the company's existing three ships, these will undergo a €20 million upgrade over a six-year period. One of the ships will be tweaked to carry large cargo vehicles, as this vessel will have two daily trips that will dock at the Freeport, Ras Ħanżir in Cor- radino, and the Mġarr harbour. Frequency may be doubled dur- ing peak periods. Until then, the Gozo Channel will continue making use of its fourth vessel, the Nikolaos, for the next two years to contin- ue supporting rising passenger and vehicle demand on the busy route, while ensuring continuity of service as the existing fleet. 8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 OCTOBER 2026 NEWS EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt Malta-Gozo ferry trips increase by almost 20% in third quarter of 2026 NSO figures show 14,417 trips carrying more than 2.1 million passengers between July and September, despite a decline in passenger traffic on the Mġarr– Ċirkewwa route The figures cover the number of trips, passengers, and vehicles travelling between Malta and Gozo throughout the summer (File Photo) Zebbug reservoir cleared of more than 90,000 litres of sludge MORE than 90,000 litres of sludge have been removed from the reservoir beneath Żebbuġ Local Council of- fices following an extensive cleaning operation, Żebbuġ mayor Steve Zammit Lupi said. "After a whole summer of pumping out the water used to irrigate our trees, around 35,000 litres every week, we finally managed to reach the bottom of the reser- voir," Zammit Lupi wrote in a Facebook post on Monday evening. The cleaning operation in- volved removing more than 90,000 litres of sludge that had accumulated over the years. Zammit Lupi said workers also removed stones that had been dumped inside the res- ervoir, as well as roots that had grown down from the ceiling. Zammit Lupi praised the workers, saying they had done an "excellent job" un- der difficult conditions. The reservoir features 24 arches, is 6.5 metres deep and 27.5 metres long, and can hold 600,000 litres of rainwater. "The reservoir is a vital source of water for the council's needs. It is a wa- ter heritage created by our ancestors that we must pre- serve for the future," Zam- mit Lupi said. Zebbug mayor Steve Zammit Lupi said the cleaning operation removed 90,000 litres of sludge that had accumulated over the years

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