Gozo Fast Ferries Struggle Compared To Channel Operators, Who Dominated Trips In Summer
Malta’s fast ferry services made up just over 10% of all trips to Gozo during the peak summer months, new figures show.
According to figures published by the NSO, trips along the Valletta-Mgarr route account for 11.1% of all trips, dwarfed by the Gozo Channel Ferry, which remains the preferred choice for many.
A total of 1,590,386 passengers travelled between Mġarr and Ċirkewwa between June and August, compared to the 197,858 who travelled by the fast ferries, which are split over two services.
Meanwhile, the number of fast ferry passengers decreased by 2.8% when compared to the same quarter of last year
It also appears that the channel is becoming far more efficient, carrying more passengers despite recording fewer trips than in previous years.
Still, the government is reportedly pursuing privatising the channel service, which has been criticised by the PN.
However, the struggles of the fast ferry service are now well-documented.
In June, both operators, Virtu Ferries and GozoFast Ferry, said that the service, which provides a link between Valletta and Gozo, is “absolutely not financially viable” and said that government intervention will be needed for it to be feasible.
More recently, Lovin Malta reported how the service had dramatically reduced its schedule during the winter months, particularly during weekdays.
The NSO’s figures also give some insight into the traffic congestion linked to the crossing.
Unsurprisingly, traffic from Ċirkewwa was busiest on Fridays and Saturdays, while for Mġarr it was Sundays.
What do you think of the figures?
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