Mr Mizzi was speaking during question time in Parliament.

Minister Censu Galea replied that many ships either occupying berths and not moving from these berths or else sunken ships or boats are mainly there as a result of a legal squabble involving the owners and other parties, including MMA.

MMA is trying to get these legal issues solved so as to get the hulls removed but it is a long process.

It is sometimes made worse, Mr Galea said, by other unspecified authorities who seem to think these sunken ships date from the times of the Knights!

Mr Galea, replying to Mr Mizzi’s offer, said he hopes to report progress in the coming weeks but if not, government will take up the Opposition offer.