The Malta Maritime Authority and the Malta Maritime Pilots Cooperative Society Limited signed the maritime pilotage services agreement as part of the ongoing restructuring in the management of the ports in Malta

The agreement is the renewal of the former Pilotage Services Agreement that was concluded in 2003. While taking into consideration the thorough improvements in the provision of technical nautical services experienced during these last years, the new agreement provides for further streamlining of the tariff system and transfers the responsibilities for the provision of pilot launch services to the Malta Maritime Pilots Cooperative Society Limited.

Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications, referred to the agreement as another notch in the partnership process of port reform which is now almost complete. The minister concluded that now it was universally accepted that the government had delivered on its promise to reform working practices in the ports to make it more cost effective and become a driving force of the economy.