Gozo sea crossings exceed two million passengers in Q2 as new Sliema route boosts traffic

Sea transport between Malta and Gozo continued to grow during the second quarter of 2026, with passenger numbers, vehicle movements and ferry trips all increasing compared to the same period last year, according to new figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Between April and June, a total of 12,977 ferry trips were carried out, transporting 2,037,526 passengers, representing a 5.7 per cent increase in passenger numbers and an 11.5 per cent rise in trips compared to the second quarter of 2025. Vehicle crossings also increased by 2 per cent, reaching 559,633.

The traditional Mġarr – Ċirkewwa Gozo Channel route remained by far the busiest connection, accounting for just over 80 per cent of all passengers during the quarter. Passenger numbers on the route rose by 3 per cent to 1.64 million, while vehicle traffic climbed by 2 per cent to 559,633 vehicles. Ferry trips on the route also increased by 2.8 per cent, reaching 9,178.

April recorded the highest number of passengers travelling on the Gozo Channel route, with 582,251 crossings, while May was the busiest month in terms of scheduled trips. The NSO also noted distinct travel patterns, with traffic departing Mġarr peaking on Sundays and Mondays for vehicles and on weekends for passengers, while departures from Ċirkewwa were busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.

Meanwhile, the Mġarr – Valletta fast ferry experienced a decline in activity. Passenger numbers fell by 4.8 per cent to 319,535, while trips decreased by 4.7 per cent to 2,589 compared to the same quarter of 2025. June was the busiest month for trips on the route, whereas April recorded the highest passenger volumes.

The quarter also marked the introduction of the new fast ferry service linking Mġarr and Sliema via Buġibba, which commenced operations on 5 May 2026. During its first two months, the service carried 77,733 passengers across its four directional routes. The busiest routes were Sliema – Mġarr, with 25,430 passengers, and Mġarr – Sliema, with 24,755 passengers, while the Buġibba connections each transported around 13,770 passengers.

Overall, June was the busiest month for sea transport between Malta and Gozo, accounting for 4,646 trips, or 35.8 per cent of all crossings during the quarter.