Air navigation providers plan €28 million investment to upgrade equipment

Malta’s air navigation service provider will invest €28 million to upgrade its equipment by the end of 2019.

Addressing the annual meeting of the Malta Air Traffic Services (MATS), tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis hailed tis investment as the “largest and most complex project” since its inception as a state-owned company.

Other projects in the pipeline include the construction of a new air traffic control centre, an upgrade to the primary radar in Dingli, and the introduction of aeronautical message handling and automated dependent surveillance broadcast systems.

“These initiatives will help the company modernize its resources so as to carry out its work as safely and efficiently as possible,” Zammit Lewis said.

He also hailed MATS for becoming a financially self-sufficient company, without resorting to loans from the central government or commercial banks as had been the case prior to 2013.

“MATS doesn’t receive any subvention from government, and will indeed fork out a €500,000 dividend this year to be placed in a consolidated fund. This is a clear sign that the company is being managed properly.”