The MMF held its Annual General Assembly to a full house of members and stakeholders. The event held a dual purpose as it also served as a technical consultation session with key industry players on the draft National Maritime Transport Strategy.
The event attracted high profile speakers including the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Public Works, Chris Bonett; Shadow Minister for Maritime Affairs, Ivan Castillo; BOV CEO, Kenneth Farrugia; TM CEO, Kurt Farrugia; ATTO Chairman, Joe Bugeja; Malta Freeport Terminals CEO, Alex Montebello; Global Ports Holding CEO, Stephen Xuereb; E-Cubed Executive Directors Dr Stefanie Vella and Dr Gordon Cordina besides of course the Forum Chairman, Godwin Xerri.
Whilst addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Malta Maritime Forum ( MMF ), the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, described the event as “an essential meeting point for an industry that quite literally keeps our nation moving”.
Hon Dr Chris Bonett said that given Malta’s unique economic and geographical characteristics, its reliance on maritime transport was among the highest in the world and the country would come to a halt if any link in the maritime transport chain were to fail. This was the rationale behind giving all the importance deserved to maritime transport not merely as a horizontal enabler but as a central pillar of Malta’s future.
“As we work on Malta’s first-ever National Maritime Transport Strategy, today’s conference also served as an open forum with the very people who live the challenges and opportunities of this sector every day,” he said whilst reaffirming that the new strategy is part of the wider Malta Vision 2050, a vision for a modern, agile, and sustainable economy.
While The Shadow Minister responsible for Maritime Affairs delivered some closing remarks during the Annual General Meeting of the Malta Maritime Forum.
Ivan Castillo recognised that in the interest of its strategic importance, the maritime industry generally attracts political consensus where Government and the Opposition collaborate to ensure prosperity and continuity. He said that the quiet contribution of the industry deserved more visibility also for the purposes of attracting new workers towards rewarding maritime careers.
He said that Maritime Transport required a holistic vision and an actionable plan with a strategy that focuses on the how. The Shadow Minister welcomed the four strategic pillars presented but proposed a fifth element represented by an independent regulatory entity dedicated to the maritime industry which is in a position to take timely decisions. Hon Castillo described a proposed dedicated authority as “the glue that holds the other pillars together”.
Hon Castillo expressed his belief in public private partnerships, which he said needed to take centre stage. He said that space in our ports was very precious for Malta and needed to be reserved for the maritime industry. “Every inch must fit into an overall plan”, he said.
It is noteworthy that The Annual General Assembly of the Malta Maritime Forum ( MMF ) elected the following members to serve on the Board of the Directors : Robert Aquilina, Dr Matthew Attard, Joseph Calleja, Miriam Camilleri, Malcolm Custo’, Capt Terence Farrugia, Ing Ryan Fava, Dr Ann Fenech, Alex Montebello, Manuel Portelli, Claudia Vella Casagrande, Godwin Xerri, Stephen Xuereb. The Malta Maritime Forum brings together all the stakeholders in the Maltese Maritime Industry. Its objective is to create the necessary synergies and expand Malta’s network as an important international maritime hub
