Be Safe at Sea
Transport Malta has once agained launced its educational summer campaign with the aim to educate boat owners and swimmers on their responsibilities with regards to their safety and the safety of others. The campaign also seeks to educate seafarers and swimmers on environmentally friendly practices for the protection of the marine environment.
The campaign aims to deliver the below messages:
Do not drive and drink. Neither on land nor on sea.
Driving a boat under the influence of alcohol and other substances will greatly reduce the ability of drivers to react in case of an emergency, greatly increasing the chance of an accident.
Driving under the influence is unacceptable, both on land and at sea.
The maximum speed in ports is 10 knots, 200 metres out of rocky beaches, and 300 metres out of sandy beaches.
Speed limit regulations apply both on land and at sea.
Abusing the speed limit can lead to serious accidents such as overturning or crashing into other vessels.
Swimmers and divers might be easily rendered invisible by the waves.
Transport Malta encourages boat owners to respect others and stick to the limits.
In harbours, the main limit is of 10 knots, 200 metres away from rocky shores, and 300 metres away from sandy beaches.
In marinas and in proximity of other moorings, the speed limit goes down to 3 knots.
Do not litter the sea or beaches. Always dispose of waste in the provided waste bins.
Marine litter is litter which is disposed of in the marine and coastal environment. Plastic is a material which is very resistant to degradation and persists for a long time in the marine environment, harming ecosystems and wildlife.
Seafarers are encouraged to avoid the use of plastics on the boat and to ensure that they have adequate waste disposal and recycling bins on-board. The use of reusable cutlery, bottles and containers on-board should be promoted to reduce the use of single-use plastics. Portable ashtrays should also be promoted to avoid cigarette butts being thrown in the sea.
The most common plastic objects found on European beaches are: cigarette butts, balloons and balloon sticks, food containers and packaging, cups and lids, drink bottles, cutlery, straws and stirrers, bags, cotton buds and sanitary applications.
Protect the marine environment by discarding your litter properly.
Swimmers are to stay inside the swimmer zones whenever possible. These are established with red and yellow buoys.
The Authority has prepared 56 swimmer zones within the most popular bays around the Maltese Island.
No vessel can enter or moor with these swimmer zones. Thus, swimmers can enjoy these areas safely.
Below is a list of Swimmer Zones:
Malta
- Armier Bay
- Birżebbuġa Bay (Pretty Bay)
- Birzebbuġa Bay (Qajjenza)
- Birżebbuġa Bay (San Gorg)
- Ġnejna Bay
- Iċ-Ċirkewwa
- Iċ-Ċirkewwa (Paradise Bay)
- Ir-Ramla ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa
- Ir-Ramla tal-Mixquqa (Golden Sands)
- Kalanka t-Tawwalija (Delimara)
- Kalanka tat-Tumbrell
- Kalkara
- Marfa (Ir-Ramla tal-Bir)
- Marsaskala (opposite ex Jerma Hotel)
- Marsaskala (Waterpolo Pitch)
- Marsaxlokk
- Mellieħa Bay
- Mellieħa Bay (It-Tunnara)
- Mellieħa Bay (Ramlet il-Qortin)
- Mgiebaħ Bay
- Qawra Bay
- Rinella Bay
- Salina Bay (opposite Coastline Hotel)
- Salina Bay (opposite Suncrest Hotel)
- Sliema (Fond Ghadir)
- Spinola Bay (Balluta Bay)
- Spinola (opposite Cavalieri Hotel)
- Spinola (Sliema)
- Spinola (St Julians)
- St George’s Bay (St Julians)
- St Paul’s Bay - Buġibba (opposite Dolmen Hotel)
- St Paul’s Bay (Buġibba Square)
- St Paul’s Bay (Għajn Razul - Veċċja Breakwater)
- St Paul’s Bay (Għażżelin)
- St Paul’s Bay (Selmun)
- St Paul’s Bay (Tal-Fekruna)
- St Paul’s Bay (Xemxija)
- St Peter’s Pool
- St Thomas Bay (Inner)
- St Thomas Bay (Outer)
- Ta’ Xbiex (Marsamxett)
- Tigne
- Torri l-Abjad
- Valletta - Waterpolo Pitch (Marsamxett)
- Xrobb l-Għaġin (Delimara)
Gozo
- Ħondoq ir-Rummien Bay
- Ir-Ramla
- Marsalforn Bay
- Mġarr ix-Xini
- Qbajjar
- San Blas
- Xlendi Bay
Comino
- Blue Lagoon
- Santa Marija (Inner)
- Santa Marija Bay (Outer)
- San Niklaw
