Notice to Mariners issued in Govt. Gazette 21,185 of 30th January 2024

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, would like to remind all mariners that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has established several protected sites, in line with the Cultural Heritage Act (Cap. 445).

As per the Government Gazette dated 31st May, 2019, No. 615, Cultural Heritage Act (Cap. 455), Declaration of Archaeological Zones at Sea; Government Gazette dated 8th October, 2019, No. 1261, Cultural Heritage Act 2019 (Cap. 455), Article 45 and Government Gazette dated 4th March, 2022, No. 20799, Cultural Heritage Act (Cap. 455), Declaration of Archaeological Zones at Sea; Government Gazette dated 27th October, 2023, No. 21139, Cultural Heritage Act (Cap. 455), Declared Archaeological Zones at Sea and Declaration of Archaeological Zones at Sea, the following sites have been established:

Off Xlendi (Gozo)

Xlendi Underwater Archaeological Park (Gozo)

The area formed by joining the imaginary line A, B, C and D

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

A                     36º 01'.364                 014º 12'.494

B                     36º 01'.526                 014º 12'.628

C                     36º 01'.637                 014º 12'.299

D                     36º 01'.518                 014º 12'.215

WreckLatitude (N)Longitude (E)Buffer Area (Radius)

Off San Blas Bay (Gozo)

Spitfire36° 03'.539                 014° 19'.344               150 m

Off Il-Ponta tal-Qawra

JU88                                        35° 58'.484                 014° 27'.982               250 m

Off Il-Bajja ta' San Ġiljan

Fairey Swordfish                    35° 56'.102                 014° 30'.646               250m

Off Il-Port il-Kbir (Valletta)

Off Il-Bajja ta' Marsaskala

Off Il-Bajja ta' Marsaxlokk

SS Luciston                            35° 47'.461                 014° 35'.464               500m

Off Il-Ponta ta' Bengħajsa

South of Il-Pinnur tal-Wardija (Gozo)

Phoenician                              36° 01'.646 N             014° 11'.458E             100m

In view of the above, Transport Malta hereby notifies that with immediate effect, all commercial vessels intending to carry out diving operations on the, above listed, historical wrecks must be fitted with an operational AIS which must be kept on at all times. Besides the necessary permits from Heritage Malta – Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit, they must also obtain clearance from Valletta VTS on VHF Channel 12 or Marsaxlokk VTS on VHF Channel 14, following pre-notification.

Compliance with this requirement is mandatory and non-compliance may lead to the prohibition of stopping/diving on these sites and possibly including the prohibition of navigation in general, without prejudice to other applicable penalties and legal proceedings.

The buffer areas, as listed, are to be considered as 'No Stopping Areas'.  Only divers' vessels fitted with an operational AIS and holding a special permit, as stated above, will be permitted to the facility of anchoring/mooring. The deployment of electronic anchoring/positioning systems is not allowed. Masters of diving support vessels are to ensure that the appropriate signals in accordance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea and the International Code of Signals, are exhibited during diving sessions. Furthermore, divers/mariners are to note that spear fishing and the use of fishing gear such as set bottom lines, trammel nets, gill nets and entangling nets, encircling nets, demersal pots and traps are prohibited in these areas. Only surface fishing is allowed including trolling lines (rixa).

Drifting vessels and swimming will be allowed.

This notice is to supersede Notice to Mariners Nos 4 and 39 of 2023.

Charts affected: BA 36, 177, 2537, 2538

Positions are referred to WGS84 DATUM