Local Shipping – Bomb Threat on Gozo Channel Line ropaxes – 25.10.2024

Around 1935 hrs, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit within 3 Regiment was dispatched via Maritime Squadron Fast craft heading to Mgarr Port, Gozo due to a Bomb Treat on all Gozo Channel ropaxes. At the time both GAUDOS and MALITA were berthed at Mgarr Port. In the meantime Valletta […]

Accidents – Car caught fire on ropax TA’ PINU – 03.07.2023

On Monday 3rd July, 2023 early afternoon a car aboard the ropax TA’ PINU caught fire while on Deck 2. Thanks to trained crew who took immediate action in extinguishing the fire & made sure of all safety issues with no damages neither to the ship neither to cars in the area. All passengers and […]

State Visit – Pope Francis at Gozo – 02.04.2022

Malta welcomed His Holiness Pope Francis during his Apostolic visit to the country from Saturday 2nd April to Sunday 3rd April of which on Saturday 2nd April he visited the sister island of Gozo. The island of Gozo was wearing Holy Week dress and Vatican City Flags mounted on road roundabouts, balconies, roof flagpoles etc […]

Local Shipping – PRINCESS DIANA & PRINCESS ELIZABETH

Two boats that were former Libyan Customs and Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Patrol Craft and were never used as short sea passenger boats were the 31.4 metres craft PRINCESS DIANA and PRINCESS ELIZABETH. PRINCESS DIANA was built in 1963 for the Libyan Customs by Brodogradiliste Kraljevica in Hrvatska at Yugoslavia as ARRAID and on […]

Maltese Islands – Mgarr Ix-Xini at Gozo

MGARR IX-XINI, is a very picturesque bay set within a creek and a steep sided natural valley. It is close to Għajnsielem, Xewkija and Sannat on the island of Gozo. During the Order of Saint John it was apparently an occasional hiding place for the Knights galleys and was also used by the invading Turks to load captive Gozitans onto their ships […]

Local Shipping – Tugboat LIENI leaving Malta after 30 years – 30.05.2021.

On Sunday 30th May, 2021 the 28 metre Twin Screw Azimuthing Ulstein Z-Peller Stern Drive Tugboat LIENI left Grand Harbour breakwaters for the last time at 0616 hrs bound to Augusta, Sicily. Images by Capt. Alexei Borg She was built in 1991 as GOLDEN PHOENIX TUG by Tai Kong Trading Company, Singapore as yard number TK-178 […]

Weather Conditions – Easterly Strong Wind on Friday 16th April 2021.

With a mild winter around the Maltese Islands, the first spring season strong winds occurred on Friday 16th April 2021 with wind blowing Easterly Force 8 wind decreasing and backing NE Force 7 overnight. All Bunkering Operations were suspended due to the current weather conditions and most of the vessels were sheltering on the lee […]

Local Shipping – Gozo Channel catamaran VICTORIA EXPRESS

The Gozo Channel Company Limited, commonly known as Gozo Channel Line or the Gozo ferry is a Maltese company founded in 1979 that operates ferry services between the islands of Malta and Gozo using ropax ships with crossings happening throughout the day all year round including weekends, public holidays, and night services. In 1988 Gozo Channel started operating a new faster service by means of a hovermarine […]