SiGMA conference kicks off, traffic congestion reported on Tuesday morning

The SiGMA conference starts on Tuesday afternoon at the Malta Maritime Hub in Marsa, and drivers have already reported some traffic congestion in the area.

This year’s convention takes place from 1 to 3 September at the Mediterranean Maritime Hub, the former shipbuilding site in Marsa.

On Tuesday morning, hours ahead of the opening day for the convention, commuters experienced slow traffic while travelling through the Aldo Moro area. Traffic in the area was less congested than in previous years, but it remains to been seen how the situation will pan out in the afternoon.

(Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Organised by a Maltese company, the conference attracts thousands of exhibitors from around the world and generates millions for the economy.

Attendance this year is expected to be smaller than in previous years, with Transport Malta anticipating more than 15,000 people in attendance for the three-day convention.

For this year, Transport Malta announced a traffic management plan for the SiGMA conference, where they explained how officials will be conducting regular patrols around the premises, using officers on motorcycles as well as drones.

(Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

TM officials explained that the plan to manage different forms of transport depends on making the best use of the space surrounding the MMH.

Last year’s event drew around 25,000 attendees and left thousands of commuters stuck in heavy traffic around the area.

Transport Malta outlines its traffic management plan for the convention

This year, cabs are expected to be the main mode of transport, but ride-hailing users will not be allowed to enter or exit within the MMH grounds. Instead, they will need to cross the bridge next to the Marsa flyover, where a designated parking zone will serve as the official pick-up and drop-off point.

Chauffeur-driven cabs will have a separate area near the Addolorata Cemetery, while conference staff will be allocated their own parking spaces closer to the venue. Coaches and minibuses will be permitted to stop along Triq tat-Tromba, leaving attendees with a seven-minute walk to the entrance.

White taxis, meanwhile, will drop off passengers in front of Identità’s passport office.