PN urges long-term Gozo ferry plan amid fourth vessel tender

The Opposition has renewed calls for a permanent strategy for Gozo’s sea connectivity, following the Gozo Channel Operations LTD’s issuance of a call for tenders for the lease of a fourth Gozo Channel vessel.

Gozitans, the PN says, have long been awaiting a modern and reliable long-term solution to the Malta–Gozo connection and cannot continue to be offered what it describes as “temporary fixes and patchwork measures instead of a long-term vision.”

The call for tenders for the fourth vessel, described as a move expected to replace the current Nikolaos ship, if awarded, will run for an initial period of two years.

The additional vessel is intended to support rising passenger and vehicle demand on the busy route, while ensuring continuity of service as the existing fleet—comprising the Ta’ Pinu, Gaudos and Nikolaos—continues operations.

PN argued, whilst agreeing that Gozo requires a fourth vessel, that these tenders confirm “that after 13 years in government, Labour still does not have a permanent plan to address one of Gozo’s most crucial challenges.”

It is asking the Government to clarify whether the conditions set out in the call for tenders will attract genuine competition, how much the lease will cost taxpayers, and how the measure fits within a broader plan for the long-term modernisation of the fleet.

“The PN has long insisted that Gozo’s connectivity is essential national infrastructure and must be given the highest priority,” it said, while urging that a fourth vessel requires long-term investment.

As it insists that investment should focus on a modern fleet capable of meeting present demands while also anticipating future needs, the PN maintains its call for the "Government to stop dragging its feet on an issue that is so fundamental for Gozitan families and businesses."