Gozo ferry tender attracts no bids, minister confirms

A government call for tenders to lease a ferry for the Gozo Channel has failed to attract any interest, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri confirmed in parliament on Monday

“There was no interest in this call, but a new call for tenders may be issued” Camilleri said in reply to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Chris Said.

The tender, which opened on 16 February and closed on 2 April, aimed to secure a roll-on/roll-off vessel for the Ċirkewwa to Mġarr route. It was intended to replace the MV Nikolaos, which was built more than 30 years ago.

Earlier this month, Camilleri stated that the government was planning to issue a tender for the construction of a new Gozo Channel ferry by mid-year.

Replying to a question by Nationalist MP Toni Bezzina, Camilleri said he asked the company to prepare a call for tenders to build a new ferry to Gozo Channel specifications by the middle of this year.

Currently, the Gozo Channel fleet consists of four ferries, three of which—Ta' Pinu, Gaudos, and Malita—are owned by the government with the fourth vessel, the Greek-owned Nikolaus, leased since 2019 as a temporary measure until a new ferry could be commissioned.

PN: ‘A Tender Set to Fail’

Reacting on Tuesday, the Nationalist Party said this result was expected and shows the government has failed Gozitans once again. They said people will have to keep using the MV Nikolaos, which is costing the government €14,000 a day in rent, not including fuel.

The PN said it had warned this would happen weeks ago, calling the tender “a set-up to fail.” During a press conference at Ċirkewwa, PN MPs had pointed out problems with the process and said it would not work.

They also criticised government for not using EU funds that could help buy a new ferry. PN MEP Peter Agius had noted there are specific EU funds that can be used for transport services like the Gozo Channel.

But the government, they claimed, continues to waste taxpayer money instead.

The PN suggested this failed tender might be an excuse to issue another direct order to keep the MV Nikolaos in service, despite safety and accessibility concerns.

Prime Minister Robert Abela had initially announced the government’s intention to issue a tender for a fourth ferry last October, though no specific timeline had been provided at the time.

Back in 2022, the government issued a tender for the lease or operation of a fourth ferry, but it failed to attract any bidders.