Gozo Channel launches tender for lease of new ferry

Gozo Channel Operations Ltd has published a call for tenders to lease a fourth ferry, which would operate between Malta and Gozo.

The tender envisages the leasing of a fourth ferry through a time-charter agreement, aimed at improving the existing fleet and ensuring that the ferry service is "reliable, efficient, and resilient between the two islands,” a Gozo Ministry statement read.

This announcement follows a failed attempt to attract a bidder last year, when in April 2025 the Ministry for Gozo had said that the call for tenders to lease a ferry for Gozo Channel operations had received no responses.

The contract to be awarded in this current call will have an initial term of two years and has been designed to attract a broad range of operators by applying the principle of the best balance between price and quality in the evaluation of bids, the ministry said.

The additional vessel will help address the growing demand for passenger and vehicle transport while contributing to the maintenance of high standards of service, reliability, and frequency on the Ċirkewwa–Mġarr route, it added.

In January of this year, the Government unveiled its plans regarding the Gozo ferry service, which would include upgrading existing ships and bringing on two new ones also. While the plan is being rolled out, the Government had said that another vessel will be leased instead of the MV Nikolaos, until the process is complete. The MV Nikolaos has been on lease since 2019, but has been the subject of complaints over the years.