359 boats waiting for berthing spot at Mġarr Marina 

A total of 359 boats are on the waiting list for a berthing spot at the Mġarr Marina. 

Transport Minister Chris Bonett revealed this figure when responding to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Chris Said.

He confirmed that discussions and preliminary exercises are underway regarding the potential extension of the Port of Mġarr.

A government task force was set up this year to look into the future of the Mġarr Harbour, particularly ahead of the planned addition of two new passenger ferries and a new cargo vessel by 2029. 

The task force, which is composed of the Gozo Regional Development Authority, and will include members of the Gozo Business Chamber, the Gozo Tourism Association, Transport Malta, Infrastructure Malta, Environment and Resources Authority, Gozo Channel, the Planning Authority and the Għajnsielem local council, is discussing how to improve the infrastructure at Mġarr Harbour.

A recent report by the Gozo Regional Development Authority warned that the harbour has become saturated with passengers and vehicles and is struggling to balance out its multiple roles as a passenger terminal, a vehicle landing port, and a freight logistics hub. 

A government-commissioned report back in 2007 projected different growth scenarios for the port over the coming decades. Its ‘high-growth scenario’ envisioned that 7 million passengers and 1.8 million vehicles would pass through t he port by the end of 2026, but official 2025 figures have already exceeded those projections.

Eurostat data for 2024 also ranked Mġarr as one of the 30 largest maritime ports in the EU in terms of vessel calls.