“Malta’s Grand Harbour RORO Logistics at BreakingPoint; Immediate Action Needed” – ATTO

The Association of Tractor and Trailer Operators (ATTO) has warned that persistent
congestion, limited parking, and clashes with football events are making logistics at the
Grand Harbour unsustainable. Despite raising these issues with the Ombudsman a year
ago, including fines and operational bottlenecks at Laboratory Wharf and Corradino Hill,
ATTO members continue to face the same critical challenges, placing Malta’s supply
chain under mounting strain.

“We first wrote to the Ombudsman on 17th February 2025 and his intervention led to
some improvements, including a reduction in fines. However, while our members still pay
all regulatory and terminal fees, Transport Malta not only is failing to provide the
operational support needed for safe and efficient trailer operations but continues to issue
fines unfairly,” says Joseph Bugeja, ATTO’s Chairman.

ATTO has also been engaging with the Police and the Malta Football Association, raising
concerns over clashes between peak trailer operations on Saturday that coincide with
football matches at the Tony Bezzina Stadium which forces trailer operators to park
trailers on the road leading to the port.

Over the past two years Maltese international trailer operators have incurred a total of
€36,829 in obstruction fines.
“Our members are the ones who link Malta to Mainland Europe daily and who deliver

essentials to Malta. Yet they are being unjustly penalized for circumstances entirely
beyond their control,” added Mr Bugeja.

ATTO expects that imminent developments, including the new Corradino Sports Complex
and Paola’s designation as European Town of Sports 2026 will further strain the already
congested infrastructure. And with upcoming expansions, including a dedicated cargo
vessel for the Malta-Gozo route and new ferries connecting the Freeport, Ras Ħanżir,
and Mġarr Harbour, ATTO is urging immediate action to create a dedicated layby parking
facility for empty trailers exclusively booked for export.

“We have already run out of space, and soon we will be expected to share this already

limited area with even more new operations. And yet, our members continue to be
penalized for circumstances beyond their control. Without urgent intervention, congestion
and inefficiencies will only get worse. The situation is now unsustainable,” concluded Mr
Bugeja.