MaltaToday campaign Safety at sea



No gains from an accident

Small ships administrator John Farrugia talks to Daniela Farrugia Randon about the need to raise the awareness of safety at sea

John Farrugia is the small ships administrator at the Yachting centre of the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) in Ta’Xbiex.

The task of this section of the MMA is the registration of boats and also of the ‘safety at sea’ campaign.

Mr Farrugia confirmed that his priority was safety and education of all people using the sea.

For the last seven years, the MMA has been running a ‘safety at sea’ campaign in order to educate swimmers and boat owners of the dangers at sea.

The MMA does not believe all people follow the regulations. This has led the MMA to take up an awareness role, hoping that in this way it will be easier to get the message across.

Mr Farrugia stressed his point , ‘Regulations are only a part of the safety equation. Enforcement and awareness are equally important.’

"When going out to sea, it is important to inform relatives and the Valletta control of the planned destination/s so that, in case of an emergency, rescuers will have an idea on where to begin searching. More importantly mobile phones should not take the place of VHF’s," he said.

A new element was added to the campaign, with the aim of increasing awareness among children. The MMA, in collaboration with the Education Department, organised a painting competition and there were over 1000 entries.

For safety reasons, the MMA established a number of swimmer zones around Malta, separating swimmers from boats with the use of the demarcation line. However Mr Farrugia noted that much of the enforcement in this aspect depends on the individual.

The MMA works in close collaboration with the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) and has donated three rubber dinghys for use around Malta and one to be used in Gozo.

However as Mr Farrugia specified, it is impossible for them to be everywhere at all times.
On the 1 June 2001, the MMA launched the new regulations. Updating the old regulations become a must, since the number of boats and people frequenting public beaches has increased dramatically.

For Mr Farrugia the requirement to possess a nautical licence in order to be able to drive a speed boat is a very significant addition. The nautical course is an important addition to the regulations and he explained how through this course, vital skills such as fire-fighting, flag signals and even certain rescue methods are learnt.

This procedure is being carried out slowly and those possessing an engine of 100 hp or more, must get themselves in line with the new regulations by September of this year. The date for those whose engine power is less than 100hp still has to be announced.

When asked about water sport licences, Mr Farrugia agreed that certain benefits come with the new rules. He continued by saying, "no-one gains anything from accidents and safety in these sports is important for both the diving school and the MMA.’

Mr Farrugia sees the new regulations as being a step in the right direction and he is certain that the public is now more aware of the dangers and risks at sea. Mr Farrugia is confident that when the need arises, the MMA will not hesitate to further update the regulations, for the benefit of the public.