Notice to Mariners issued in Govt. Gazette 21,625 of 17th April 2026

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that a Light Drone Display will be held inside the Grand Harbour.

The Light Drone Display displays will be held on the following dates and times:

On Friday, 24th April, 2026, between 9.00 p.m. and 11.59 p.m.

On Saturday, 25th April, 2026, between 8.00 p.m. and 11.59 p.m.

On Wednesday, 29th April, 2026, between 9.00 p.m. and 11.59 p.m.

On Thursday, 30th April, 2026, between 8.00 p.m. and 11.59 p.m.

If, due to adverse weather conditions, the Light Drone Display cannot be held on Thursday, 30th April, 2026, it will be held on any day between Friday, 1st May, 2026 and Sunday, 3rd May, 2026, at the same times.

The area is formed by joining points A, B, C, D, E, and F and the intermediate coastline as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

All timings are in local time.

Mariners are hereby directed to avoid transiting in the abovementioned area to the extent possible.

Valletta VTS will be managing the movement of vessels on VHF channel 12 within the Grand Harbour.

Mariners are advised to keep a sharp lookout and navigate with caution when in the vicinity, on the stipulated dates and times.

They are to cooperate with the organisers and to comply with any instructions issued on VHF channel 12 and/or 16 by Valletta VTS and by any enforcement personnel on site.

Positions are in WGS 84 Datum.

Chart affected: BA 177

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, hereby notifies mariners that the Voomquest - UIM V2 Class World Championship Race ‒ 2026 will be held within the Grand Harbour (Valletta Port) and off Tas-Sliema between Friday, 17th April, 2026 and Sunday, 19th April, 2026, weather permitting. 

Races within the Grand Harbour

On Friday, 17th April, 2026, race buoys will be laid at points M, N and O as shown on chart A found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) before the start and will be removed on completion of the races.

Races within the Grand Harbour will be held on Friday 17th April, 2026, between 10.00 a.m. and noon and between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. During these times, traffic within the Grand Harbour will be prohibited.

​Races off Tas-Sliema

Races are scheduled to take place between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. on Saturday, 18th and Sunday, 19th April, 2026.

A number of buoys may also be laid within the above-mentioned restricted area each day to show the course in the following positions: A, A1, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, as indicated on chart B found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

Navigation will be restricted within the area bounded by the imaginary lines joining the points U, V, W, X, Y, Z and the intermediate coastlines, on each day.

All vessels are to proceed offshore from the above-mentioned race buoys between 7.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. from Saturday, 18th April, 2026 to Sunday, 19th April, 2026.

​The abovementioned buoys will all be removed at the end of each day.

If due to unfavourable weather conditions the Race off Sliema cannot be held, straight line races will be held within the Grand Harbour as shown on Chart A found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

Mariners are instructed not to enter the restricted area on the dates and times stated above.

Mariners and owners of vessels are also advised that the loading and unloading berths at Breakwater - Spinola Bay and Tas-Sliema Waterpolo Pitch – Tas-Sliema, will be temporary restricted for use on Saturday, 18th April, 2026 and Sunday, 19th April, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m., as shown on Chart C found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

They are to cooperate with the organizers and maritime enforcement officers in the area. Moreover, they are to comply with instructions given on VHF Channel 12 and/or 16 by Valletta VTS.

Local Notice to Mariners No. 60 of 2026 is hereby cancelled.

Charts affected: BA 177, 194, 2537 and 2538

Positions referred to WGS 84 DATUM

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, hereby notifies mariners that firework displays will be held in the Grand Harbour on Monday, 20th April, Saturday, 25th April, and Thursday, 30th April, 2026.

Barges will be moored and loaded with fireworks at Kalkara Quay in il-Bajja tar-Rinella from the 15th of April, 2026.

Owners of vessels moored in il-Bajja tar-Rinella are to remove their vessels and the area is to be kept clear from Wednesday, 15th April, 2026, at 8.00 a.m., to Sunday, 3rd May, 2026, at 8.00 a.m. Transport Malta will accept no liabilities whatsoever for any damage caused to vessels that are left within il-Bajja tar-Rinella during the mentioned dates and times.

The sinkers that will be used to secure the pontoons will be marked with buoys that have a light on them, at points Q-R and S-T, as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt). The pontoons and their sinkers will be laid on each day of the displays, they will depart from il-Bajja tar-Rinella on each day of the display at noon. 

Barges will be moored at points P1, P2, and P3 as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt). The barges and sinkers at points P1 and P2 will depart from il-Bajja tar-Rinella to be laid in their position on each day of the display at noon, while the barge and sinker at point P3 will depart from il-Bajja tar-Rinella to be laid in its position on each day of the display at 5.15 p.m., they will then all be removed immediately after the displays finish.

Mariners are informed that part of the Grand Harbour, between the imaginary lines A-B, C-D, E-F, G-H and the intermediate coastline, as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt), will be closed to all vessels, except for authorised vessels, as stated for each day.

On Monday, 20th April, 2026

The Grand Harbour will be closed to traffic from 8.30 p.m. to 11.00 p.m., while the display will commence at 9.00 p.m. and terminate at 11.45 p.m.

On Saturday, 25th April, 2026

The Grand Harbour will be closed to traffic from 8.30 p.m. to 11.00 p.m., at 8.00 p.m. there will be a 30-minute drone sunset display, while the main display will commence at 9.00 p.m. and terminate at 11.00 p.m.

On Thursday, 30th April, 2026

The Grand Harbour will be closed to traffic from 8.30 p.m. to 11.00 p.m., while the display will commence at 9.00 p.m. and terminate at 11.00 p.m.

Except for authorised vessels, Barriera Wharf, Lascaris Wharf and Fish Market are to be kept clear from 00.01 a.m. to 11.59 p.m. on the days of the displays.

During the events, ship movements in the Grand Harbour will be restricted. No vessel will be allowed within the restricted area, except by arrangement through the organizing Committee/Valletta VTS. Authorized vessels must be securely moored by not later than 8.00 p.m. in the designated areas, as shown in blue on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt). 

All vessels and bathers are warned to keep well clear and maintain a safe distance of not less than 200m from the barges and 50m from the pontoons while they are being towed.

Authorised vessels are to give the display pontoons and barges a wide berth of at least 200m. No movements whatsoever will be allowed during the actual displays.

If adverse weather conditions prevent the fireworks from taking place on the scheduled dates, the event will be rescheduled for the following day at the same times. However, for Thursday, 30th April, 2026, the rescheduled date will be Saturday, 2nd May, 2026, at the same times.

Transport Malta will accept no liability whatsoever for any damage caused by the firework displays to any vessel and her ancillary equipment, whether such vessel and her ancillary equipment are left within the 200m safety zone, or outside such safety zone, from the point from which the fireworks are let off.

Mariners are to comply with any instructions and directions issued on VHF channel 12 / 16 by Valletta VTS and maritime enforcement officers that will be in the area.

Chart affected: BA 177

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that a Chinese Cakes fireworks display will be held from the foreshore off Tigné ‒ Tas-Sliema, on Saturday, 25th April, 2026, around 11.00 p.m. for not more than three (3) minutes. The display will be centred at point A as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) in the approximate following position:

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

    A                 35° 54'.332     014° 30'.735

​In view of the above, mariners are advised to keep 60m away from point A, on the abovementioned date and time.

Any boats berthed within the area shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) are to be removed during the abovementioned date and time.

Transport Malta will accept no liability whatsoever for any damage caused by the firework displays to any vessel and her ancillary equipment, whether such vessel and her ancillary equipment are left within the 60m safety zone, or outside such safety zone, from the point from which the fireworks are let off.

​All mariners are to comply with any instructions given on VHF Channel 12 and/or 16, by Valletta VTS and by any enforcement personnel on site.

Chart affected: BA 177

Reference is made to BA Chart 36 – Marsaxlokk

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that the Precautionary Area within the EVOS Terminal at Marsaxlokk Port, as mentioned in Local Notice to Mariners No. 8 of 2026, in the positions:

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

    A                 35° 48'.829     014° 32'.636

    B                 35° 48'.839     014° 32'.622

    C                 35° 49'.102     014° 32'.953

    D                 35° 49'.090     014° 32'.967

has now been removed.

​Local Notice No. 8 of 2026 is therefore being cancelled.​

Chart affected: BA 36