Notice to Mariners issued in Govt. Gazette 21,620 of 10th April 2026
Local Notice to Mariners No. 54 of 2026
Seabed clean-up in Ta' Xbiex in Id-Daħla Tal-Azzarett
The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that a seabed clean-up operation by divers in Id-Daħla Tal-Azzarett, will be held within the area A, B, C, D and the intermediate coastline, as shown in red on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
Latitude (N) Longitude (E)
A 35⁰ 54'.003 014⁰ 30'.038
B 35⁰ 54'.031 014⁰ 30'.084
C 35⁰ 54'.066 014⁰ 30'.018
D 35⁰ 54'.030 014⁰ 29'.995
The clean-up will be held on Sunday, 19th April, 2026, between 7.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.
The divers will be assisted by RIB and will be exhibiting the International Code of Signals Flag 'A'.
Mariners are advised to keep a sharp lookout and navigate with extreme caution and at slow speed (no wake) when in the vicinity, on the stipulated date and time.
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.
Chart affected: BA 177
Local Notice to Mariners No. 55 of 2026
31st March Regatta at the Grand Harbour ‒ Valletta
The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies that since due to bad weather the 31st March regatta could not be held as planned, it will be held on Saturday, 11th April, 2026, at the Grand Harbour within the below area and as marked on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt):
1. On Saturday, 11th April, 2026 as from 8.30 a.m., wire rope with floats will be laid in the following positions:
(i) a wire rope with floats will be laid from point (A) ashore on Barriera Wharf to buoy (B) off Il-Ponta ta' Sant'Anġlu.
(ii) a wire rope with floats will be laid from buoy (B) off Il-Ponta ta' Sant'Anġlu to point (C) north of Il-Ponta tal-Isla.
(iii) a wire rope with floats will be laid from buoy (C) north of Il-Ponta tal-Isla to point (D) west of Il-Ponta tal-Isla opposite the entrance to Id-Daħla tal-Franċiżi, Bastion.
(iv) access beyond Il-Ponta tal-Isla point (C) is restricted to participating craft only.
(v) a wire rope with floats will be laid from bollard 8 at Ras Ħanżir 2 point (E) to bollard 26 at Deep Water Quay point (F), as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
2. The wire ropes, floats and buoys mentioned in 1 above will be removed on the completion of the regatta at approximately 1.00 p.m. on Saturday, 11th April, 2026, as shown on the chart found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt)
3. The sinkers and marker buoys will also be removed on the completion of the regatta at approximately 1.00 p.m. on Saturday, 11th April, 2026.
Masters of all vessels are notified that on Saturday, 11th April, 2026, between 8.30 a.m. and around 1.00 p.m., incoming vessels will not be allowed to proceed to any berth south-west of the line joining point (A) on Barriera Wharf and Fortizza Sant'Anġlu Flagstaff. Vessels in 'Il-Marsa' sea area will not be allowed to proceed beyond the line (E) to (F) indicated in 1(v) above after 8.30 a.m. No vessel will be allowed near the finishing line except those involved in the races. No movements of vessels will be allowed inside the Grand Harbour, except by special permission. All vessels are to keep a minimum distance of 5m away from the lines and floats mentioned in 1(ii), 1(iii), 1(iv) and 1(v).
Incoming vessels will not be allowed to proceed to any berth south-west of the line which is 150m north-east of the line (A) to (B) mention in 1(i) above. No vessel will be allowed to stay within this 150m area.
The area bounded by the lines between the points A to B, B to C, C to D, E to F, and the intermediate coastline is to be kept clear on Saturday, 11th April, 2026, between 8.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m., from all vessels except those authorised by the activity organisers.
Masters of all vessels are also warned that the wire ropes and floats may cause a physical obstruction and consequently they are to navigate with extreme caution. Caution is also to be exercised when in the vicinity of such wire ropes and floats when these are being laid or removed.
Mariners are to comply with any instructions issued by Valletta Port Control (Valletta VTS) on VHF Channel 12 and enforcement personnel in the area.
Chart affected: BA 177
Local Notice to Mariners No. 56 of 2026
Further to Local Notice to Mariners No. 46 of 2026 – Establishment of an Organised Mooring Area ‒ Marsaskala
Reference is made to Local Notice to Mariners No. 46 of 2026.
The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies mariners that works will be carried out with the assistance of divers. When divers are in the water, the International Code of Signals Flag 'A' will be displayed.
All information and restrictions outlined in Local Notice to Mariners No. 46 of 2026 remain valid.
Notice to Mariners No. 26 of 2026
Live firing practice exercise at sea – Gunex 01/2026
The Ports and Yachting Directorate, Transport Malta, notifies that the Armed Forces of Malta shall conduct a live firing practice exercise at sea from either Pembroke Ranges (LM-D01) or south of Malta (LM-D05) between Monday, 27th April, 2026 and Thursday, 30th April, 2026.
At (LM-D01) – Pembroke High
On Monday, 27th April, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. local time, (6.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. UTC).
On Tuesday, 28th April, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. local time, (6.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. UTC).
On Wednesday, 29th April, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. local time, (6.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. UTC).
On Thursday, 30th April, 2026, between 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. local time, (7.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. UTC).
At (LM-D05) – South of Malta ‒ Melita
On Wednesday, 29th April, 2026, between noon and 8.00 p.m. local time, (10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. UTC).
If the live firing practice exercise cannot be held on any of the above-mentioned dates, it will be held either on Monday, 4th May, 2026, between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. local time, (6.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. UTC) at either (LM-D01) – Pembroke High or (LM-D05) south of Malta, depending on weather conditions.
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 the attached chart A) 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
In the south of Malta LM-D5 (South of Malta ‒ Melita)
The exercise will be held within a circular area of 8 nautical mile radius, centred on point Z:
Position Z:
Latitude (N)Longitude (E)
35° 30'.500 014° 11'.000
as shown on chart B found on the 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