Representatives from the business community, port handlers, Malta Maritime Authority officials and other interested parties also took part in the meeting. Importers complained that the situation at the Freeport is resulting in several ships simply by-passing Malta as their port of call, thus creating unnecessary delays and loss of time, and resulting in higher freight costs and, obviously, higher consumer prices.

However, as China Shipping local representative Teddy Vassallo explained, the Freeport had absolutely no control over how the shipping lines using it operate and since almost 90 per cent of containers are bound for foreign ports, these shipping lines give absolutely no priority to local merchandise.

Mr Vassallo suggested that importers and businessmen should be more alert and astute at planning their logistics properly and using those lines that best served their purpose. Some cargo handlers complained about the fact that the merchandise intended for Malta is not grouped together, but spread all over the port, with the result that delays and bureaucratic procedures were causing severe pressures on the system to release local cargo.

A representative from the Malta Maritime Authority confirmed the fact that the Freeport has absolutely no jurisdiction or authority on how the shipping lines manage their procedures.

With the imminent privatisation of the Freeport, he envisaged that this would definitely remain the case, although he also expected a better and more efficient system.

A representative who works in the logistics business said that there is not much choice, with only about three major lines operating at the Freeport, only one of which shipped to Japan – so in that case, it was a take it or leave it situation.

In his conclusion to the meeting, Mr Vassallo said that there was no easy solution to anything, but in today’s world one had to continue searching for the best opportunities and that the government was increasingly taking the role of regulator. In such a competitive and ever-changing environment, a business to business solution was the answer, he concluded.