Updated | PN demands written guarantee that fast-ferry project won't ruin Marsaskala Bay

Updated at 5:55pm with transport ministry statement

Nationalist Party (PN) councillors on the Marsaskala Local Council have called on Transport Minister Chris Bonett to issue a written guarantee that the proposed fast-ferry project will not harm Marsaskala Bay.

In a statement published on Wednesday and signed by PN Minority Leader John Baptist Camilleri and councillors Errol Cutajar, Celine Camilleri and Jesmond Abela, the councillors said they supported initiatives aimed at improving connectivity and reducing traffic congestion. However, they said they could not yet reassure residents about the project’s potential effects as they had not been granted access to the full studies or reports assessing its impact.

The PN representatives urged the government to immediately publish all relevant documentation, particularly studies concerning environmental, social and quality-of-life impacts. Without full disclosure, they said, neither councillors nor residents could form an informed opinion about the project, and the ongoing lack of transparency was fuelling public suspicion that information might be withheld.

The councillors noted that two motions had been submitted to the Marsaskala Local Council, requesting the Planning Authority to formally ask the government to provide the necessary information. They also called on Bonett to respect Marsaskala residents by guaranteeing that the project would not compromise the bay’s natural beauty or the community’s ability to enjoy the locality.

In response, the Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Ministry said Minister Bonett had met several times with the Marsaskala Local Council and a number of NGOs, both before and after the project was announced.

During these meetings, the ministry explained all phases of the project in detail — including the proposed fast-ferry terminal, a new park-and-ride service from the Sant’Antnin park area, and circular Tallinja bus routes — aimed at ensuring the ferry operates efficiently and with minimal disruption to residents.

The ministry emphasised that Bonett had repeatedly assured all parties that swimming zones would remain untouched and that the ferry would enter the bay at the lowest possible speed (dead speed) to guarantee safety.

The government reaffirmed it will continue dialogue with the local council, residents and all stakeholders, stating that the project’s objective was to respect the will of the majority of Marsaskala residents while improving infrastructure and connectivity sustainably, without undermining the locality’s unique character or natural environment.