Tag: Malta

According to a research by University of Malta professor Raymond Ellul, Malta-registered ships produce nearly 200 kilotons of emissions annually, which is around a tenth of the global total. For this reason, the Maltese government is urged to  take measures to reduce shipping emissions.

As about 40,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Europe via maritime routes in 2018 to date, the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR call for a common approach to implement a predictable and responsible disembarkation mechanism that prioritizes human rights and safety first.

The humanitarian boat 'Open Arms', which was carrying 60 migrants, docked in Barcelona on Wednesday July 4, as it was scheduled. The ship ended up in Spain after Malta and Italy had rejected it. Despite the fact that the irregular immigration has decreased, European countries are polarized in their immigration policies.

Malta detained another humanitarian ship on Monday July 2. The ship normally rescues boat migrants off the coast of Libya, where two shipwrecks have cost the lives of 200 people recently. The Sea Watch 3 vessel requested to leave the port after maintenance was performed to it, but the port authority refused.

A humanitarian boat with 59 migrants on board was rescued off Libya and is now heading to Barcelona, after Italy and Malta refused to allow the ship dock in their ports. The ship Open Arms is carrying five women and four children, and will arrive in Barcelona on Wednesday, July 4.

The Dutch-flagged ship 'Lifeline' that about 230 rescued migrants on board for almost a week, finally docked in Malta on Wednesday, June 27. This development ends the dispute between Malt and Italy which refused to let the ship into one of its ports. The Maltese Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat said that the procedures for identification, to find out the migrants' asylum eligibility will start.

Panagiotis Kouroumplis, noted that EU has to find new ways to make shipping industry more attractive. From his side, the Maltese transport minister, Ian Borg, mentioned that there is work happening to examine today's EU directives that create the administrative burden. Natasa Pilides, Cyprus's Deputy Minister for Shipping Natasa Pilides, informed that the three discussed about possible measures to enhance cooperation.

Joseph Meli, Marketing and operations manager at the Mediterranean Maritime Research and Training Centre, argues that although Malta is one of the largest maritime flags in the world and the largest in Europe, the country does not have enough qualified and skilled employees to sustain the Maltese maritime sector.

The European Commission decided to send letters of formal notice to Cyprus, Greece and Malta for not levying the correct amount of Value-Added Tax on the provision of yachts, as this could generate "major distortions of competition and featured heavily in the coverage of last year's 'Paradise Papers' leaks."

ClassNK reminds of the graphical symbols requirements on fire control plans which apply to all Maltese flagged ships as per Malta's Technical Notice SLS.7. The classification society stresses that, from 1st of January 2018 and onwards,  ClassNK surveyors are to confirm compliance at the first periodical Safety Equipment survey