Contact details Malta - DONA

Transport Malta, Merchant Shipping Directorate

Contact details

Summary of functions

The functions and duties entrusted to the Merchant Shipping Directorate in terms and in pursuance of the provisions of the Authority for Transport in Malta Act are to regulate, control and administer all matters related to merchant shipping and marine pollution prevention and control provided for under the Merchant Shipping Act and other related legislation, including ship and yacht registration under the Malta flag and their technical performance with regards to safety and pollution prevention and to promote the maritime services provided by Malta with the international shipping community.

The Directorate is also enrusted with regulating the employment and certification of seafarers and to promote and advance the skills of seafarers and of persons employed in the maritime industry, to foster Malta’s relations in international shipping fora and to administer the implementation of maritime and other related international conventions and agreements. In order to provide a one stop shop service to its client base, the Directorate is also responsible to regulate and control the licensing of shipping organizations and to regulate, control and administer maritime radio communication services for Maltese ships.

It is the prime objective of the Merchant Shipping Directorate to ensure effective discharge of its duties as a Maritime Administration particularly its responsibilities as the flag Administration of one of the leading ship registers in the world. In pursuance of this objective, the Directorate is organised into five departments with distinct areas of responsibility yet interacting with and complementing one another, guaranteeing, particularly with regards to Maltese ships, a unified approach and a comprehensive service.

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Transport Malta, Ports and Yachting Directorate 

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Summary of functions

Transport Malta, through its Ports and Yachting Directorate, is responsible for regulating maritime leisure activities in the territorial and internal waters of Malta and is involved in the development and implementation of better organization of popular bays in Malta and Gozo.

The Ports and Yachting Directorate is responsible for:

• The promotion of port services and maritime activities;

• Preservation of good order in the internal and territorial waters, including safety of navigation;Compliance and regulation of International and European Legislation and Directives;

• Prevention and control of pollution, including

the provision of port reception facilities for

ship-generated waste;

• The provision of a safe and efficient maritime

transport system;

• Ensuring the provision of technical nautical

services, firefighting facilities, supplies, and other

ship requirements;

• Regulation of yachting and maritime leisure facilities;

• The compilation of maritime statistics; and,

• The organisation of popular bays and swimmers’ zones, including the annual Safety at Sea campaign.

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Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) - Search and Rescue Coordination centre (RCC)

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Summary of functions

RCC Malta, which is co-located with the AFM Operations Centre in Luqa Barracks is responsible for coordinating all search and rescue activities within the Malta Search and Rescue Region (SRR), an area comprising 250,000 Sq. km of water.   In order to ensure command & control over such a large area, RCC Malta is  equipped with an integrated communications system coupled to a maritime surveillance web.

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Marine Safety Investigation Unit

Contact details

Summary of functions

The Marine Safety Investigation Unit (MSIU) is an independent Government investigation Unit.  The MSIU, which is managed by the Head of Marine Safety Investigation, is independent in its organisation and decision-making process from the policy maker, regulator, and any other party whose interests could conflict with the tasks entrusted to the MSIU.

The MSIU is tasked to contribute to maritime safety by carrying out safety investigations into accidents and incidents, and participate in safety studies and academic research.

 
The MSIU is established by the Merchant Shipping (Accident and Incident Safety Investigation) Regulations 2011.  Its safety investigations are conducted in accordance with the provisions prescribed in these regulations.  The MSIU does not investigate to apportion blame and / or determine civil / criminal liabilities.  The Unit has significant authority to investigate marine accidents and incidents and no entity other than the MSIU may commence a safety investigation into a marine accident and incident.

Malta is a major stakeholder in the maritime industry, whilst its geographical position in the Mediterranean Sea makes its waters amongst the busiest in Europe.  The MSIU has the legal mandate to investigate accidents and incidents involving Maltese registered ships anywhere in the world, and foreign flagged ships navigating and trading within Maltese waters.  Masters, ship operators, ships managers and Transport Malta are required to report accidents and incidents as soon as practicable to the MSIU.

A typical safety investigation normally takes about 12 months to complete, depending on the accident dynamics and its complexity.  The safety investigation reports compiled by the MSIU are published after the safety investigation process is completed.  However, these reports and most of the collected evidence are inadmissible in a court of law and cannot be used in criminal and civil proceedings.  Their only scope is the dissemination of safety lessons and the prevention of similar future accidents and incidents.

Malta is an active member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.  The MSIU has an active role and is a member of the Maltese delegation at the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III).  The MSIU is also a member of the European Commission’s Permanent Co-operation Framework, the Marine Accident Investigators International Forum, and the European Maritime Investigators Forum.

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Regulator for Energy and Water Services  

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Summary of functions

Article 5 of the REWS Act establishes the functions of the Regulator for Energy and Water Services.  It gives wide-ranging responsibilities to the Regulator, essentially involving the regulation of practices, operations and activities in the energy and water sectors. 

This may be broadly considered to incorporate the regulation of:

the national utilities and service providers for energy and water namely Enemalta plc and the Water Services Corporation and their subsidiary companies;

retailers and operators in the regulated sectors including: operators of petrol stations, suppliers and delivery operators of gas and kerosene, offshore bunkering companies, private operators of desalination plants and operators of road tankers;

tradesmen and service providers such as electricians, installers of renewable energy systems and competent persons in the regulated sectors.

The Regulator is also designated as the central stockholding entity for security stocks in accordance with Council Directive 2009/119/EC of 14 September 2009 which imposes an obligation on Member States to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products.

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