ISSUE 3 2011


MALTA FEATURE


with our fuel costs we will never offer conventional operators’ freight rates, but you have to look at what you gain.” In fact, given that Malta is such a long way from any other part of Europe by conventional ferry, it really is the only option if you want fresh imported food or any regular daily supply into Malta, Cordina points out. While Sicily is obviously the


With the introduction of its new high speed vessel the Jean De La Valette last September, Virtu Ferries now has some serious freight capacity on the Malta- Sicily


route, says the line’s


freight manager Alan Cordina. The vessel formerly used on


the service could take a couple of


artics and a few smaller trucks, but the new craft can take 16-18 trucks and trailers between Malta and Pozzallo or Catania in Sicily. “It’s a completely new concept,” enthuses Mr Cordina.


“The vessel will maintain 36- 37 knots, even with a full 6-700-tonne passenger and freight load.” Moreover, the new schedule provides a double round trip most days in summer and and a similar schedule twice or three times a week in winter. “The unique thing about that is that it’s possible for a truck to come from Sicily to Malta with a load and return to Sicily the same day – and vice-versa - Virtu Ferries has basically eliminated the geographical divide.”


While rates are not the cheapest per kilometre – high fuel costs see to that – they are more than offset by the savings made possible by the ‘day return’ service. It’s ideal for short-shelf-life food produce, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, milk, fish stock, or indeed anything that is required not only urgently, but needs a regular or daily supply line. It is also ideal for fast courier type services,


offering a cheaper


alternative to airfreight. Cordina says: “Obviously,


main market, some operators do use the Virtu service and then cross to the southern Italian mainland – or vice-versa - if they can find a return load


by doing so, says Mr Cordina. Virtu still serves Catania in the northern part of Sicily in summer, but less frequently in winter. However, most freight operators see Pozzallo as a more convenient alternative as the crossing is shorter and if they are Catania-bound, they can reach there as quickly if not quicker under their own steam from Pozzallo.


Virtu is equipped to also carry unaccompanied trailers, but this is obviously not a major target. “Given our fast turnarounds of only 45 minutes, ideally all the


27 Virtu looks to reap its freight reward


vehicles should be ready to go and on the move both during unloading and during loading, and a lot of unaccompanied traffic may disrupt this. But we are willing to take a smaller proportion of unaccompanied trailers from clients whose set up is primarily for accompanied operations.”


ABELINK INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT (MALTA) LTD.


52 Xwieni Road Albert Town Marsa


MRS 1065


T. +(356) 2122 6877/8 +(356) 2123 2235/6


M. +(356) 9924 5752 F. +(356) 2123 2237 E. julian.rabelink@malta.net


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