1 comment.Virtu Ferries to launch first-ever Gozo fast ferry service from June
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Virtu Ferries has announced that as from June it will be launching the first-ever fast ferry service between Malta and Gozo.
The announcement was made on its social media page, no details of fares or timetable were given.
The company said that “after 30+ years safely navigating the Malta-Sicily route,” it will now be embarking on a new journey.
It had first announced in March that it had applied for a license to operate the service.
It said that, “Virtu is looking forward to replicating the success achieved over the last 33 years on international routes, including between Malta and Sicily, on the domestic route between Mgarr and Valletta.”
The company explained that it would be “offering travellers the same standard of service on the domestic route as that provided on the company’s international routes.”
“Given the short notice between the announcement by Government and the intended date of commencement on 1st June, Virtu will be operating the service with a ferry from their existing fleet in order to meet the required deadline,” the company said.
Virtu went on to say that “once the service is up and running, Virtu will be reviewing building a ferry specifically for the Mgarr-Valletta service which will conform to highest environmental standards in place at time of build, respecting stringent Emission Regulations and guidelines issued by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).”
The service was open to multiple shipping operators to provide a fast ferry service between Gozo and Malta, as first announced in February.
The service would be between the Grand Harbour, Valletta and the Mgarr Harbour by direct fast ferry for passengers only, which should take no longer than 45 minutes.
Let’s hope that they don’t charge for a 45 minute journey a pro-rata fare based on their vastly overpriced rate for their 90-minute run to Sicily.