Cirkewwa terminal works on schedule

Works on site are expected to start towards the end of May 2002

Following the approval by the Planning Authority of the building of the Passenger Terminal, car park and the marshalling areas at Mgarr Harbour, the Malta Maritime Authority is focusing its operations on the Passenger Terminal and marshalling area at Cirkewwa.

As such, it is expected that the Planning Authority will issue the permit for the construction of the Cirkewwa Terminal/Car Park in the next few weeks.

Touring the site recently, Transportation and Communications Minister Censu Galea explained, "Last year, the Malta Maritime Authority finalised works on Phase 1A of the project, whilst during this month the Authority has successfully completed Phase 1B as scheduled.’’

The works on Phase, 1A which commenced in July 2000, included the reclamation of an area of 11,500 square metres to provide better marshalling and carparking facilities at Cirkewwa. Works on the first phase of the extension of Berth number 1 at Mgarr have also been completed. This extension will help provide better berthing facilities in Gozo for the new ferries.

Phase 1B was comprised of three operations in Cirkewwa namely the construction of Berth Number 2, the construction of the Comino berth and the backfilling of the site to a level of 2.1 metres above mean sea level. Works on Berth Number 2 involved the construction of dolphin columns which, in turn, were roofed over by a structural slab superstructure. Fender blocks and a fendering system similar to the one on the existing berths were installed. These will allow two ferries to be operational from Cirkewwa. The works on the Comino Berth at Cirkewwa consisted of the construction of a superstructure. A fendering system adequate for small crafts will be installed to provide a berth for boats that service the island of Comino.

Roger Sammut, Project Manager of the Cirkewwa Development Project, gave a brief overview of the works currently in progress. By the end of February 2002, works on Stage 2 of the Extension of Berth Number 1 at Mgarr Harbour will be finished, whilst the works related to the Accropodes concrete elements for the armouring of the new extension of the Breakwater at Cirkewwa are also progressing well and are expected to be finished on time.

Also addressing the site visit was Malta Maritime Chairman Dr Marc Bonello who announced that the MMA has recently issued another three tenders. Dr Bonello explained, "The first one relates to the civil works on the passenger terminal building and marshalling area at Mgarr, where works on site are expected to start towards the end of May 2002. Towards mid-March 2002, works related to the second tender issued, namely the Temporary Traffic Management at Cirkewwa, will commence. The final tender issued concerns the Extension of the Existing Breakwater at Cirkewwa and works are expected to start late in May 2002."

Dr Bonello said, "During the coming months, the Authority will be issuing more tenders directly related to the various remaining phases of this project. These include tenders for the Mgarr Terminal Vertical Transportation, the Mgarr Building Services, the Cirkewwa Terminal Building Civil Works, the Cirkewwa Marshalling Area and the construction of the Cirkewwa Terminal Building Services. The tenders for the construction of Passenger gangways for Mgarr and Cirkewwa and finishing works at the Mgarr Terminal and Cirkewwa Terminal will be issued later during the year. The other tenders that will follow are those for the construction of a Wave Protection Wall in Cirkewwa and another for the Cirkewwa Terminal Vertical Transportation."