A Senglea resident told a court today that she has resorted to taking anxiety medication due to the incessant noise coming from the Palumbo shipyard.

Testifiying in court, resident Rita Vassallo compared the noise to a car engine that has been left on constant idle, saying that it even causes her windows to rattle.

Three people - Palumbo director Joseph Calleja, Francesco Domenico Impollino as captain of the vessel Hamal and vessel inspector Saverio Velluci - were charged in court yesterday over the noise pollution following a criminal complaint filed by a representative of the Senglea Residents’ Association.

Taking to the witness stand, another Senglea resident – Jesmond Bonnici – said the “heavy bass noise” that has been interrupting his sleep emanates from a vessel berthed at dock six, the Grande Argentina.

In contradiction to this, two police officers who investigated the origins of the noise last weekend identified it as coming from a generator powering the Hamal tugboat berthed in dock five.

The officers investigated two complaints received at 11:10pm on 28 January and another shortly after at 1:15am.

One police sergeant said he heard the humming noise from a generator which he identified as coming from the Hamal in dock five, though he did not see the generator in question.

The sergeant said the humming sound could only be heard about 50 metres past the entrance to dock five.

The sergeant admitted to not checking if the sound could be heard from Senglea's residential area.

On the other hand, Constable Anglu Spiteri said the generator's noise could be heard from the main gate.

Mr Spiteri said he saw the generator in question mounted on the Tamal, though admitted under cross-examination that he may have been mistaken and did not check if any other generators were operating in the vicinity.

Defence lawyer Matthew Brincat told Magistrate Aaron Bugeja that 110 vessels were docked at the shipyard during the period in question.

Lawyer Abigail Bugeja, also appearing for the defence, pleaded with the court to deal with the case expediently, as the Tamal's crew is meant to depart soon and the tugboat is currently without a captain and vessel inspector, which could have serious safety repercussions.

Court expert Joseph Agius has been tasked with taking sound recordings on-site.

The case continues tomorrow.

Inspector Josric Mifsud is prosecuting.