Notices to Mariners issued in Government Gazette No 21,724 of 25th September 2026

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that a swimming event will be held within the Grand Harbour.

The event will take place along the course commencing at point A and ending at point B, as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

The swimming event will be held on Thursday, 1st October, 2026, between 9.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m.

During the stipulated date and time, mariners are advised to maintain a sharp lookout and navigate with extreme caution and at slow speed (no wake) when in the vicinity of the event. Mariners are also requested to cooperate with the organisers and support craft.

All mariners are to comply with any instructions issued by Valletta VTS on VHF Channels 12 and 16, as well as by any enforcement officers present on-site.

Chart affected: BA 177

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies Mariners that between Monday, 5th October, 2026 and Friday, 30th October, 2026, a Special Mark Buoy (Hydrophone Buoy) will be laid temporarily in the following position:

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

Hydrophone Buoy        35° 49'.706   014° 34'.365

The buoy will be coloured yellow and fitted with a yellow light flashing every five (5) seconds, exhibiting the characteristic F1.Y.5s.2M

Mariners are advised to keep 300m of the buoy and are requested not to approach, moor to, or interfere with the hydrophone equipment and its associated moorings.

The buoy and its associated moorings will be removed upon completion of the monitoring operations.

All vessels navigating in the vicinity are to proceed with caution, maintain a proper lookout, and comply with any instructions given on VHF Channel 12 and/or 16, by Valletta VTS and by any enforcement officers on-site.

Chart affected: BA 36

The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that the Armed Forces of Malta will be conducting a live firing exercise at sea in either the Pembroke (High) Ranges (LM-D01) area or the South of Malta, Melita (LM-D05) area, depending on prevailing weather conditions.

The live firing exercise will take place from Monday, 5th October, 2026 to Friday, 9th October, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. local time (6.00 a.m. and 5.00  p.m. UTC).

At Pembroke ranges LM-D01 (Pembroke High)

From Position A:       

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

   35° 55'.900                 014° 28'.533

thence on a bearing of 335 True x 8.5 nautical miles to:

Position B:                 

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

      36° 03'.620               014° 24'.100

thence on an arc of a circle radius 8.5 nautical miles centred on position A to:

Position C:                 

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

   36° 00'.150                 014° 37'.600

thence on a bearing of 240 True to position A.

All vessels in the vicinity must proceed with caution and keep at least eight and a half nautical miles (8.5NM) off the Pembroke Coast, on the dates and times indicated. 

Mariners are also informed that a corridor of four nautical miles (4NM) between the coast and the line M to N as shown on chart A found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) has been established for the passage of all vessels on the above-mentioned dates and times. Any vessel intending to transit through this corridor within these times is to communicate on VHF channel 69 Malta VTS, for final approval prior to entering the area.

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

M               36° 02'.869                      014° 24'.532

N                35° 58'.387                       014° 33'.834

At south of Malta LM-D5 (Melita)

The exercise will be held within a circular area of an 8 nautical mile radius, centred on point Z:

Position Z:                 

Latitude (N)Longitude (E)

35° 30'.500014° 11'.000

as shown on chart B found on Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).

In view of the above all vessels in the vicinity must proceed with caution, they are advised to give the exercise areas a wide berth and comply at all times with any instructions given by AFM craft patrolling the area and by Valletta VTS on VHF channel 12.

Charts affected: BA 194, 2124, 2537 and 2538

Positions referred to WGS 84 DATUM