Global Transport and Logistics Centre
Malta’s strategic location and state-of-the-art facilities have contributed to Malta’s reputation as one of the foremost maritime and logistics centres in the region. With a long pedigree in facilitating trade and commerce in the Mediterranean region and as the southern-most EU state on the doorstep of North Africa, Malta is ideally located to take advantage of the opportunities that increased trade between Europe, Africa and the rest of the world will bring. Indeed, the island’s strong shipping sector, flourishing Freeport and excellent airport cargo handling facilities already present businesses with the opportunity to exploit multimode sea and air logistic solutions, and the sector continues to grow at a healthy rate, both in size and significance.
Transhipment – Freeport
Malta’s Geographical position in the centre of the Mediterranean has always played a pivotal role as a hub for business and commerce in the region and today Malta Freeport has become an important container transshipment hub. Many companies use Malta as a stepping stone for trading, regional storage, distributing and marketing for international operations in Southern Europe and North Africa. Since its establishment in 1988, Malta Freeport, managed by CMA CGM, has experienced remarkable growth, and is currently ranked 12th amongst the top European ports and is the third-largest transshipment and logistics centre in the Mediterranean region handling 1.5 million TEU per annum.
The Freeport can handle various types of cargo, including container traffic, Ro-Ro and conventional cargo. Malta’s strategic location in the centre of the Mediterranean astride one of the major shipping highways in the world is proving an attractive draw card for the major shipping lines. Servicing shipping lines from all four corners of the globe, the island is now connected to practically every major port in the Far East, Europe, North America and North Africa.
The Oil Terminal, which is the largest oil bunkering facility in the Mediterranean with a storage capability of 360,000 cubic metres is operational round the clock and has an annual handling capacity of around two million metric tonnes of products. Products handled include gasoline, jet fuel, feedstocks, industrial alcohols, heavy fuels, crude oil and other products.
Airport logistics
Malta International Airport (MIA) is connected by direct flights to most major European and regional cities with the majority of destinations less than three hours flying time away. In addition, the vicinity of the airport to the ports means that goods can be shipped in by sea, possibly finished and then forwarded on to the final destination by air. Located just 6 km from the Freeport, the development of a specialized freight village at the airport where time-sensitive exports – flowers and fish for example, and batches of semiconductors – can be shipped fast and with ease coupled with the warehousing facilities at the Freeport open up excellent opportunities to exploit multimode sea and air logistic solutions.
Valletta Port
The cruise and ferry aspect of the Port of Valletta or Grand Habour is operated by the VISET Malta plc consortium, while the cargo segement is managed by Valletta Gateway Terminals (VGT), a joint undertaking between Portek International of Singapore and the Maltese Tumas Group. Traffic through the port is increasing, and regional transshipment is beginning to pick up. This is in line with current trends, replacing road traffic with short sea shipping routes. Ro-Ro operations, general cargo and a small proportion of unitised cargo, mostly directed to the local market, are handled through Malta’s historic Grand Harbour. VGT is also managing to attract car transshipments, a sector that had until now eluded Malta, with around 6,000 cars being carried to Libya via Malta between September and December 2006.
Furthermore the Port of Valletta offers first class alongside berths for cruise and ferry vessels, being able to accommodate vessels over 300 mtr. The Valletta Cruise Terminal Facilities are fully ISPS-complaint. Port services on offer include bunkering, emergency ship repair facilities, pilotage, tugs, customs, chandelling and other husbandry services on a 24 hours, 365 days a year basis. Available at the Exit Gate, guests can find a number of services including a tourist information desk, taxi booking service, banking facilities, internet and call centres, al fresco food and beverage outlets, as well as duty free shopping facilities. The Terminal is just a short walk from Valletta city centre, Valletta being a UNESCO World Heritage City. A whole range of services required for homeporting are available at competitive rates and more importantly, Malta can offer its guests a unique experience..
Motorways of the Sea
Fitting neatly with Malta’s ambitions to expand its business as a Mediterranean shipping hub, the island is strongly promoting the EU-proposed Motorways of the Sea concept. Lying as it does between two of the major motorways, Malta sees itself as uniquely placed to serve as an Intra European Logistics hub where Mother Vessels from Asia or crossing the Atlantic are able to make one stop in Malta, at the Freeport, to drop their full load and pick up cargo from Europe bound for Asia. The incoming cargo is then transferred onto smaller feeder vessels for distribution through Europe.
Malta’s long-term vision is to develop marketable and highly innovative global logistics solutions that are flexible enough to meet the challenges of the future. Building on the islands rich maritime history and advanced infrastructure Malta is determined to remain not just relevant but the partner of choice in the global logistic chain.
Source: Country Profiler - Business & Investment Malta
Updated: September 2011
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