Valletta Cruise Port together with local authorities has worked on COVID-19 Cruise Operations Guidelines for a Safe Continuation of Cruising in Valletta, guidelines which accroding to the port have gotten the necessary approvals.
“It has been a challenging time for the cruise community, but the industry is clearly inching closer to a restart" said Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding. "After months of discussions with numerous stakeholders we are happy to be sharing these guidelines with the cruise lines and look forward to welcoming cruise ships, their guests and crew to Valletta.”
In addition to the new health guidelines, Valletta Cruise is supporting a €49.9 million initiative spearheaded by Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta to develop shore-side electricity infrastructure. The first of this two-phased project includes a €37 million investment to provide shore power on the five main cruise ship quays of the Grand Harbour by the end of 2023. Excavation works have commenced for the underground electricity cables that will distribute electricity from an existing distribution centre to the quays at Valletta’s Grand Harbor. Each quay will be supplied with shore-side transformers and shore-to-ship connection panels that enable ships to turn off their combustion engines and switch to electrical power as soon as they berth. To this effect works are currently in progress on Quays Pinto 4-5.