Notice To Mariners
Forecast
Maritime Regulations
Legal Requirements & Equipment On Board
All vessels navigating within Maltese waters must comply with regulations issued by Transport Malta and the Merchant Shipping Directorate.
| Item | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Mandatory | All mechanically propelled vessels must be registered |
| Lifejackets | One per person | Approved type and correct size |
| Fire Extinguisher | Required | Mandatory for engine-powered vessels |
| Navigation Lights | Mandatory | Required between sunset and sunrise |
| Sound Device | Required | Horn or whistle |
| Distress Flares | Offshore Use | Required beyond coastal limits |
Maltese Maritime Zones
| Zone | Distance | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Coastal reference line | Measured from low-water mark |
| Territorial Sea | Up to 12 NM | Full Maltese sovereignty |
| Contiguous Zone | 12–24 NM | Customs, fiscal & immigration enforcement |
| Fisheries Conservation Zone | Up to 25 NM | Exclusive fishing and marine resource control |
Speed Restrictions
| Area | Speed Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marinas | 3 Knots | No wake permitted |
| Bays, Ports & Harbours | 5–10 Knots | No wake permitted |
| 300m of Shore or 200m from Shore | 10 Knots | Applies near bathing zones & swimmers |
| Swimming Zones | No Entry | Marked by yellow buoys |
| Water Sports Corridors | Controlled | Only within authorised lanes |
Contraventions & Fines
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| No registration of craft | €500 |
| No renewal of license | €300 |
| No registration number | €300 |
| False registration number | €500 |
| Overloading of passengers | €300 |
| Over speeding in restricted areas | €600 |
| Using a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol | €1,000 |
| Careless driving | €600 |
| Water skiing without a guide | €500 |
| Water skiing in prohibited areas | €1,000 |
| Mooring onto a marker buoy | €200 |
| Renting a boat without the specified license | €2,000 |
| Using a speedboat without a driving license | €500 |
| Blocking of a launching site | €100 |
| Excessive exhaust smoke | €200 |
Important: Regulations are subject to change. Operators remain responsible for ensuring compliance with current Transport Malta legislation.
VHF & VTS Information
Marine VHF & Vessel Traffic Services (VTS)
Vessels within Maltese territorial waters must maintain a continuous listening watch on the designated VTS or LPS channel for their area.
| VHF Channel | Station / Purpose | Area of Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Ch 09 | Port Services | Pilotage, Mooring, and Pilot Launch operations |
| Ch 10 | Mġarr LPS | Mġarr Harbour Local Port Service (Gozo) & Comino Channels |
| Ch 11 | Weather Broadcast | Meteorological Bulletins & Navigational Warnings |
| Ch 12 | Valletta VTS (Port Control) | Grand Harbour, Marsamxett & Northern Approaches |
| Ch 13 | Terminal & Marinas | Yacht Marinas and Terminal operations |
| Ch 14 | Marsaxlokk VTS (Port Control) | Marsaxlokk Port, Freeport & Southern Approaches |
| Ch 16 | Distress & Safety | International Distress, Safety and Calling |
| Ch 20 | Ship Specific | Instructions to a specific vessel |
| Ch 22 | Emergency Ops | Emergency operations, oil pollution etc. |
| Ch 67 | SAR / JRCC Malta | Search and Rescue coordination — Armed Forces of Malta |
| Ch 69 | Malta VTS (AFM) | Coastal monitoring — territorial waters (12nm), excluding designated VTS areas |
| Ch 70 | DSC Distress Calling | Digital Selective Calling — automated distress alerting only (not voice) |
| Ch 06 / 08 / 72 / 77 | VHF Working Channels | Ship-to-ship & inter-vessel communications (not VTS) |
Note: Weather forecasts are typically broadcast on Channel 11 at 08:03, 12:03, 18:03, and 23:03 Local Time.
Notices to Mariners
Notices to Mariners – Malta
Notices to Mariners issued by Transport Malta provide essential safety information affecting navigation, port operations, coastal activities, and maritime infrastructure around the Maltese Islands. Vessel operators are responsible for remaining updated with current notices before departure.
Coastal Notices
Coastal Notices relate to navigation hazards and operational updates affecting the open coastline and near-shore waters. These are particularly important for pleasure craft, fishing vessels, and commercial traffic operating outside harbour limits.
- Temporary navigation hazards (floating debris, wrecks, submerged objects)
- Changes to buoyage or light characteristics
- Marine construction or dredging operations
- Restricted or prohibited navigation areas
- Underwater cable or pipeline works
Local Notices
Local Notices apply to specific regions, bays, marinas, or coastal segments. These are typically time-sensitive and may affect daily navigation for smaller craft.
- Temporary swimming zone adjustments
- Water sports corridor modifications
- Event-related exclusion zones (regattas, fireworks, maritime events)
- Temporary mooring restrictions
- Safety perimeter enforcement
Port Notices
Port Notices apply within harbour limits and port authority jurisdictions including Grand Harbour, Marsamxett, Marsaxlokk and Mġarr (Gozo). These notices directly impact commercial shipping, bunkering operations, pilotage movements, and marina users.
- Berthing or anchorage restrictions
- Changes in traffic separation schemes
- Security level adjustments (ISPS)
- Pilot boarding arrangements
- Operational closures due to weather or maintenance
Important: Notices to Mariners may override previously published regulations. Masters and operators must ensure charts, electronic navigation systems, and onboard documentation are updated accordingly.
Fishing
Recreational Fishing in Maltese Waters
Fishing in Malta is regulated under the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (Cap. 425), overseen by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Before casting a line, anglers should know the minimum landing sizes for their target species and the zones where fishing is restricted or banned outright.
| Zone | Rule |
|---|---|
| Swimming Zones | No entry with any fishing gear or vessel while deployed (roughly mid-May to September — exact dates set yearly by Notice to Mariners) |
| Wreck Conservation Areas | Spearfishing, nets, traps and most gear prohibited; trolling lines only when no dive vessel flies the Alpha flag |
| Full-Ban Conservation Areas | All fishing banned at Wied iż-Żurrieq, Xatt l-Aħmar, Marsascala, Ċirkewwa and Ponta ta' San Ġiljan |
| Archaeological Zones | Spearfishing prohibited |
Spearfishing Rules
- Not permitted between sunset and sunrise
- No scuba cylinders — breath-hold only
- No flashlights in harbours and bays
- Prohibited inside Swimming Zones, Archaeological Zones and Conservation Areas
Important: Rules and zone dates change — verify current regulations with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture before fishing. Many of the protected zones above are drawn on the Boating Malta chart.
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About
Boating Malta App is an online maritime platform that provides boaters and sea enthusiasts with essential marine information for Malta and the surrounding waters. The web-app brings together useful tools such as real-time sea conditions, wind and swell data, harbour information, navigation charts, and practical trip planning resources in one convenient dashboard. It is designed to help both local and visiting boaters quickly access important operational data before and during their time at sea.
Disclaimer
Whilst Boating Malta has endeavoured to ensure that the material supplied is suitable for the purpose described, it accepts no liability (to the maximum extent permitted by law) for any damage or loss of any nature arising from its use. The material supplied is used entirely at the app user’s own risk.
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