About us
Who are we
The History of the mooring sevices in Malta dates back to the 1920's and 1930's when the first word war vessels entered in the Grand Harbour at Valletta. During those times our traditional Balklori (rowers) used to row outbound, taking the Pilots to embark outside harbour. Then, they used to make fast their boats to the vessels proceeding inside harbour.
This procedure made way for the new wooden motor boats of the early sixties, whereas in the seventies Halmatic Pilot Launches were introduced and are still operational today.
In 1975 there was introduced the first Legislation which regulated the then former Pilotage Corps, which consisted of 15 Pilots and 21 Mooring-men. These Licensed Mooring-men used to perform all kind of mooring jobs such as assisting to the berthing and unberthing of vessels to the quays, buoys, dolphins etc.; shifting of vessels, assisting foul anchorage jobs, whilst steering the Pilot Launches to embark and disembark Pilots on the respective vessels. They also maintained the Pilot Launches and were responsible for their day to day running. In 2007 the operation of the Pilot Launches were passed to the Pilot's Cooperative and the launches funds were annulled by the ex Malta Maritime Authority.
... more about Malta Boatmen & Mooring Services COOP Ltd.
In the late 1980s the Mooring-men also started to perform mooring jobs in the Malta Freeport Terminals and in 1992 in Oil Tanking Malta. Today we still perform duties in Oil Tanking and other small terminals in the port of Marsaxlokk, but in April 2011 were stopped from performing mooring jobs at the Malta Freeport through a new subsidiary legislation. This Legislation brought our corps in an unstable situation as at that time the Mooring-men were left with no tools and no funds at all.
In April 2010, two members of our group, the ex Chief Mooring-man , the late Mr.Stephen Borg and Mr.Joseph Farrugia attended the first BOD meeting of the European Boatmen Association in Rome, whereas in the following September our group became a member of this Association In 1st August 2012 the Mooring-men formed a Cooperative, even though that by then, we were still not issued with a new mooring licence. The start-up group was formed of 14 ex licensed mooring-men, and now there are 10 members in the coop, 6 full time employees and 8 part-time employees. Three of which render services in our sister island of Gozo.
Our team consists of experienced and well trained Mooring-men. Our personnel posses the necessary qualifications to offer other maritime services.
Today the services rendered by the cooperative are on 24x7 basis without interruption. Public Services Obligations are our pride, thus making our coop one of the most prompt, efficient, safe and reliable services within the areas we service in our ports.
Proud members of the European Boatmen Association
