In October 2026, the number of final deeds of sale relating to residential property amounted to 1,217, a decrease of 5.6% when compared to those registered in October 2025. The value of these deeds totalled €415.4 million, representing an increase of 12.1% when compared to the corresponding value recorded in October 2025.

The residential property transactions featured in this release are not limited to purchases by individuals (households) but may also involve other economic agents. In addition, a single final deed of sale or promise of sale agreement may include more than one property.

In the month under review, 1,081 (88.8%) of these final deeds of sale involved individual buyers (households), with companies accounting for virtually all remaining deeds. The value of the deeds involving individual buyers (households) amounted to €307.2 million, equivalent to 74.0% of the total value.

Final deeds of sale by locality

The highest numbers of final deeds of sale were recorded in the following localities: San Pawl Il-Baħar (83), Birkirkara (63) and Il-Mosta (47).  

Properties transacted in the final deeds of sale

During the month under review, the number of properties transacted in the final deeds of sale was equivalent to 1,337. Apartments (477) and garages (305) accounted for the largest shares, at 35.7% and 22.8%, respectively.

Promise of sale agreements

In October 2026, 1,408 promise of sale agreements relating to residential property were registered, equivalent to an increase of 4.1% over the same period in 2025. The value of these agreements totalled €522.0 million, representing an increase of 4.9% when compared to the corresponding value recorded in October 2025. Individual potential buyers (households) accounted for 1,262 (89.6%) of these agreements, while the rest mainly involved companies.

The post Fewer final deeds of sale, more promise of sale agreements in October – NSO first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Malta’s trade deficit narrowed significantly in the first eight months of 2026, as exports increased and imports declined, according to provisional figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The deficit in trade in goods reached €2.84 billion between January and August, down by €624.1 million from the corresponding period last year.

During this period, imports totalled €6.32 billion, a decrease of €152.2 million compared with the first eight months of 2025. Exports, meanwhile, rose by €471.9 million to €3.48 billion.

The figures point to an improvement in Malta’s trade balance, supported by stronger export performance and lower imports across several major commodity groups.

Exports surge in August

In August alone, Malta recorded a provisional trade deficit of €295.7 million, compared with €371.8 million in the same month last year.

Exports increased by €76.9 million year on year to €481.4 million, representing growth of 19%. Imports edged up by just €0.8 million to €777.1 million, an increase of 0.1%.

The stronger export performance was largely driven by mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, which recorded an increase of €65.1 million. Machinery and transport equipment also contributed, with exports in this category rising by €26.7 million.

These gains were partly offset by a €30.6 million decline in chemical exports.

On the import side, higher purchases of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials contributed an additional €91.1 million. However, this was partly counterbalanced by decreases in imports of machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and food, which fell by €50.1 million, €36.1 million and €12.7 million respectively.

The August figures suggest that stronger exports, rather than a significant reduction in imports, were the main factor behind the narrower monthly trade deficit.

Machinery and fuels shape trade performance

Developments in machinery, transport equipment and energy-related products played an important role in Malta’s trade performance during the first eight months of the year.

Imports of machinery and transport equipment fell by €390.6 million compared with the same period in 2025. Lower imports of chemicals, down by €56.4 million, and miscellaneous transactions and commodities, down by €29.6 million, also contributed to the overall reduction in imports.

These declines were partly offset by a €291.4 million increase in imports of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, alongside a €34.4 million rise in miscellaneous manufactured articles.

On the export side, machinery and transport equipment generated an additional €200 million compared with the first eight months of last year.

Exports of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials increased by €194.2 million, while miscellaneous manufactured articles recorded a rise of €47.7 million.

The contrasting movements across these categories underline the importance of the composition of Malta’s imports and exports in determining the overall trade balance.

European Union remains Malta’s main trading partner

The European Union continued to account for the largest share of Malta’s merchandise trade during January-August 2026.

Imports from EU member states amounted to €3.76 billion, equivalent to 59.5% of Malta’s total imports. Exports to the bloc reached €1.13 billion, accounting for 32.6% of total exports.

Asia was the second-largest regional trading partner, representing 20.7% of imports and 12.7% of exports.

At country level, Belgium recorded the largest increase in imports, at €102.7 million. France registered the largest decrease, with imports falling by €512.9 million compared with the corresponding period last year.

Germany was the destination recording the largest increase in exports, with a rise of €55.4 million. Exports to Turkey, meanwhile, registered the largest decline, falling by €44.9 million.

These figures highlight the continued importance of European markets to Malta’s external trade, while also illustrating how shifts in individual trading partners can influence the country’s overall trade flows.

Underlying trade deficit also improves

A separate measure published by the NSO excludes mineral fuels, oils and related products, aircraft and spacecraft, and ships and other floating structures.

Under this measure, Malta’s trade deficit stood at €175.2 million in August, down from €211.3 million a year earlier.

Imports within this category totalled €439.6 million, a decrease of 4.3% year on year, while exports rose by 6.5% to €264.4 million.

For January-August, the deficit under this measure narrowed by €340.3 million to €1.72 billion. Imports declined by 2.7% to €3.81 billion, while exports increased by 12.7% to €2.09 billion.

The figures indicate that the improvement in Malta’s trade balance was not limited to the overall headline measure, although the composition of trade remains an important consideration when assessing the underlying trend.

A stronger trade balance

Malta’s goods trade deficit remains substantial, reflecting the fact that the value of imported merchandise continues to exceed that of exports. Nevertheless, the latest figures show a marked improvement compared with 2025.

The €624.1 million reduction in the deficit during the first eight months of the year reflects both a decline in imports and an increase in exports, with machinery and transport equipment and mineral fuels playing a significant role in export growth.

The figures are provisional and may be revised as additional trade data become available.

The post Malta’s trade deficit narrows by €624 million as exports rise first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

According to figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO), total employment in Malta reached 340,463 people in 2025, representing an increase of 4.9% over the previous year.

The figures show a marked difference between the number of people living and working in the two regions. While employment in the Malta region was higher when measured by place of work than by place of residence, the opposite was the case in Gozo and Comino.

This reflects the continued movement of workers between the islands. In 2025, 5,511 people residing in Gozo and Comino were employed in the Malta region, meaning that approximately one in every five employed residents of Gozo and Comino worked in Malta. Just over half of these commuters, or 52.8%, were male.

The trend is also evident in full-time employment. The number of Gozo and Comino residents with a full-time job increased by 5.7% in 2025, reaching 20,754. However, only 15,339 full-time jobs were located in the Gozo and Comino region, an increase of 4.4% over 2024.

The difference between the two figures underlines the extent to which Gozo’s labour supply depends on employment opportunities outside the region.

Of the Gozo and Comino residents working full-time in Malta, 4,946 were employed in the Malta region. Some 45.9% of these workers were employed in the public sector, with the remainder working in the private sector.

At the same time, 469 Malta residents worked in the Gozo and Comino region, according to the NSO. This means the movement of workers is not entirely one-way, although the overall balance is strongly in favour of Gozo residents travelling to Malta for work.

Private sector dominates employment

The private sector remained the main source of full-time employment in both regions.

In the Malta region, full-time employment by place of residence reached 283,472, up 4.7% on 2024. The private sector accounted for 82.8% of this employment.

By place of work, full-time employment in the Malta region stood at 288,887, an increase of 4.8%. Private-sector employment accounted for 82.2% of the total.

In Gozo and Comino, full-time employment by place of residence reached 20,754, with the private sector accounting for 68%. When measured by place of work, the region recorded 15,339 full-time jobs, of which 72.3% were in the private sector.

The composition of employment also differs between the two regions.

In Malta, the largest share of full-time employment was concentrated in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, transportation and storage, and accommodation and food services. These activities accounted for 25.4% of full-time employment by place of work.

In Gozo and Comino, these sectors accounted for an even larger share of private-sector full-time employment, at 33.7%.

Meanwhile, public administration, defence, education, human health and social work remained particularly important to Gozo’s labour market. These activities accounted for 77% of public-sector full-time employment in the Gozo and Comino region.

More jobs, but also more commuting

The latest figures provide a snapshot of an increasingly interconnected Maltese labour market, in which the geographical location of workers and the location of their jobs do not always coincide.

For businesses, the figures point to the importance of considering labour supply not simply according to where workers live, but also where they actually work. This is particularly relevant for Gozo, where a substantial share of the resident workforce depends on employment opportunities in Malta.

The NSO noted that the differences in the distribution of jobs between the two regions are mainly attributable to the significant number of Gozo and Comino residents working in Malta.

Part-time employment also remains significant. Gozo and Comino residents held 7,793 part-time jobs in 2025, of which 63.1% were secondary part-time employment. Wholesale and retail, transport, accommodation and food services accounted for the largest share, at 29.8%.

Meanwhile, registered unemployment remained relatively limited. The Southern Harbour and Northern Harbour districts recorded the largest shares of persons registering for work, together accounting for 25.8% of the total, with 319 persons each.

The NSO stressed that the statistics are based on administrative records held by Jobsplus and other latest available NSO data, and are subject to revision.

The post Gozo labour market increasingly tied to Malta as employment rises first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

This substantial investment by the Freeport involved the complete replacement and modernisation of the medium-voltage switchgear and extensive refurbishment of the substation building, with all works carefully planned and executed while maintaining uninterrupted operations across the terminal.

The new medium-voltage switchgear was installed alongside the existing equipment, enabling the transfer of electrical circuits in phases without disrupting power supply to the terminal.

The upgraded distribution centre also includes a fully refurbished building envelope, with new doors and apertures to ensure an airtight environment, together with new air-conditioning systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and CCTV installations.

The project features Medelec’s locally factory-assembled MSGair medium-voltage switchgear, designed and manufactured in Malta in accordance with the internationally recognised IEC 62271-200 standard. The equipment has undergone independent type testing at the Cesi laboratories in Milan, confirming compliance with stringent international performance and safety requirements.

The new switchgear provides Malta Freeport Terminals with significant operational advantages. Its modular design allows for future expansion as the terminal’s electrical infrastructure continues to evolve, while the additional bus arrangement and ringed circuit capability substantially improves operational flexibility and network resilience.

The system has also been designed with safety and ease of operation as key priorities. All normal switching operations can be carried out with compartment doors closed, enhancing operator protection, while the equipment can be controlled both locally and through the terminal’s Scada system, providing greater operational flexibility.

Alex Montebello, chief executive officer at Malta Freeport Terminals, said the project represented another important investment in the terminal’s critical infrastructure.

“The reliability of our electrical distribution network is fundamental to maintaining the high levels of operational performance expected by our customers, and this upgrade provides us with a more resilient, flexible and future-ready system while ensuring the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency.”

David Fenech, Commercial manager at Medelec, said: “We are grateful to MFT’s chief engineering officer James Peter Alsop and his engineering team for the confidence they placed in Medelec and for the excellent cooperation shown throughout every stage of this project. Our team is proud to have contributed to another important milestone in Malta Freeport Terminals’ continued development.”

The successful completion of the project further reinforces Malta Freeport Terminals’ ongoing investment programme aimed at strengthening operational resilience, supporting future growth and ensuring the terminal continues to operate to the highest international standards.

The post Malta Freeport Terminals and Medelec complete major upgrade of primary distribution substation first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

 (i)             4.30% Malta Government Stock 2037 (II); and

 (ii)           4.50% Malta Government Stock 2041 (III)

The sum of money to be raised may be increased further by an additional amount of up to a maximum of two hundred million Euro (€200,000,000) in the event of oversubscription.

Members of the public who are interested to invest may apply for an amount up to a maximum of four hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred Euro (€499,900) per person in any one or in each of the two stocks on offer. Application forms can be made by one person or jointly with other person or persons.    The applications for members of the public open from Monday, 5 October 2026 at 8.30am and close at 2.30pm on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, or earlier at the discretion of the Accountant General.

Applications from wholesale investors in the form of sealed bids (auction) open on Friday, 9 October 2026 at 8.30am and close at 12pm (noon – local time) of the same day, or earlier at the discretion of the Accountant General.

The Accountant General shall be announcing the price for each stock offered for subscription by members of the public on Thursday, 1 October 2026. These prices shall be published through a Press Release by the Department of Information (DOI).

The allotment results of each stock to applicants whose applications are in the form of sealed bids (auction) will be determined and announced two hours after the closing time of the auction.

Retail application forms may be obtained from and lodged at all members of the Malta Stock Exchange and other authorised investment service providers.  Application forms may also be downloaded from the Treasury’s website (https://treasury.gov.mt/en/services/) with effect from Friday, 2 October 2026.

The post New Issue of Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks – October 2026 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement on Wednesday that the government will present a Budget that continues to provide clear direction, courage, and confidence, while strengthening the sense of positivity and continuing to support an economy that is achieving positive results.

The Prime Minister, during a consultative meeting with representatives of the Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), noted that discussions are currently underway regarding two key areas: the national budget for the coming year and the European Union’s Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2028-2034 period.

He stated that, despite international geopolitical challenges and rising energy prices abroad, the government will continue to provide necessary support in strategic sectors – such as energy – to ensure stable prices for families and businesses.

Abela emphasised that small and medium-sized enterprises are not only the backbone of the European Single Market but also a key pillar of the Maltese economy. Therefore, despite the turbulent international and geopolitical situation, the government will present a Budget that continues to provide clear direction, courage, and confidence, while reinforcing a sense of positivity and sustaining an economy that is achieving positive results.

He emphasised that an increasingly strong and competitive economy requires long-term planning – looking beyond today’s immediate needs – as well as decisions that strengthen sustainability and create the necessary incentives for sustainable growth. He maintained that just as this government provided essential support during difficult times, including the pandemic, it will continue to do so with even greater resolve in the future.

Abela highlighted the digital transition as pivotal for enterprises to continue growing and becoming increasingly innovative. He referred to various initiatives and schemes designed to encourage investment in digitalisation, automation, artificial intelligence, and research and development. He explained that these aim to help businesses boost productivity and strengthen their competitiveness, not only locally but also beyond our shores. He added that investment in technology must go hand in hand with investment in the workforce.

In fact, Abela noted that, to date, around 40,000 people have registered for the ‘AI for All’ initiative, while 23,000 have already successfully completed the training and are being provided with free AI software licenses.

He concluded by stating that, just as it did during the first 100 days, the government will continue to work with the same determination and pace to ensure that Budget 2027 marks another step towards increasingly robust enterprises and a high quality of life for the people of Malta and Gozo.

Representatives of the Chamber of SMEs presented the Prime Minister with a document containing a number of proposals based on five key pillars: investment and compliance; governance and fair competition; productivity driven by sound policies; energy and resources; and transport and mobility. They also referred to the decision announced during the ‘100 Days with You’ open Cabinet meeting regarding the reduction of tax on business transfers between family members, which will decrease from 5% to 1.5%. The representatives described this as a positive decision that will continue to support businesses in investing further and contributing to the growth of the Maltese economy.

The post Prime Minister meets with Chamber of SMEs ahead of 2027 Budget first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The case concerned Venetian Macau Limited, a subsidiary of Sands China, and a VIP customer, Hu Yangning. After years of gambling at casinos in Macau, Hu entered into a credit agreement with Venetian Macau in 2023 for up to HK$15 million and signed a promissory note in connection with the credit extended to her for gambling. When the debt remained unpaid, Venetian Macau sued in Hong Kong and obtained a default judgment in March 2025 for approximately HK$19.35 million, plus interest and costs. It subsequently sought to register and enforce that judgment in Singapore. However, the Singapore High Court refused.

The important point is that the court was not deciding whether the Hong Kong judgment was valid. Nor was it re-trying the underlying dispute. Instead, the question was whether Singapore should allow its own courts to be used to enforce a foreign judgment founded on a gambling debt.

Justice Philip Jeyaretnam held that it should not. Under Singapore’s Reciprocal Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, registration can be set aside where enforcement would be contrary to public policy. The court found that Singapore has a firmly established public policy against the enforcement of gambling debts, reinforced by legislation, parliamentary debates and previous case law. In particular, section 5(2) of Singapore’s Civil Law Act provides that no action may be brought or maintained to enforce claims based on gambling debts.

The fact that the debt arose in Macau was therefore not enough to overcome Singapore’s domestic policy. Indeed, the court considered the promissory note inseparable from the credit arrangement that enabled the customer to gamble. Enforcing the Hong Kong judgment would consequently undermine Singapore’s policy against gambling on credit and against using its courts to recover gambling debts.

For the gambling industry, the decision is significant because it illustrates a fundamental feature of an increasingly cross-border business. A gambling operator may be licensed and operating lawfully in one jurisdiction, but the legal consequences of that activity do not necessarily travel with the licence. This is where the Singapore decision becomes particularly interesting from a Maltese perspective.

Malta has spent decades positioning itself as a major European hub for remote gaming. Malta’s controversial 2023 reform, commonly known as Bill 55, introduced Article 56A into the Gaming Act. The provision establishes, as a matter of public policy, that Maltese courts must refuse recognition or enforcement of certain foreign judgments which undermine the legality of gaming services lawfully provided under an MGA licence. The stated legislative objective was to codify Malta’s longstanding public policy in favour of gaming operators lawfully providing services from Malta.

The issue arose particularly from Austria, where courts have awarded players refunds for gambling losses incurred with Malta-licensed operators on the basis that the operators were not licensed under Austrian law. Those players subsequently sought to enforce their Austrian judgments in Malta. Maltese courts have increasingly resisted such enforcement, ruling that certain Austrian judgments ordering refunds conflicted with Malta’s public policy.

There is therefore an intriguing common thread between Malta and Singapore: public policy can place a boundary around the recognition and enforcement of foreign gambling judgments. But the direction of that policy is fundamentally different.

Singapore’s policy says, in effect, that its courts should not become a mechanism for collecting gambling debts, even where those debts were incurred lawfully abroad. Malta’s policy, by contrast, seeks to ensure that its courts do not undermine the legal status of gambling services provided by operators holding Maltese licences.

This distinction matters as Malta is not saying that every judgment involving a gaming operator is unenforceable. The Malta Gaming Authority itself has stressed that Article 56A is narrowly framed and applies only where the foreign action conflicts with or undermines the legality of activity that is lawful under Malta’s regulatory framework.

It also explains why Malta’s position has generated considerably more controversy within the European Union. The European Commission has challenged Article 56A, while Advocate General Nicholas Emiliou concluded in April 2026 that EU law precludes a provision of this kind where it prevents recognition of another Member State’s judgment concerning an operator whose services are lawful in Malta. His Opinion stressed that Member States cannot use unilateral measures of this kind to respond to what they consider to be infringements of EU gambling rules by another Member State.

The Singapore judgment therefore offers Malta an illuminating comparison, but not necessarily a precedent. Both cases demonstrate the power of public policy in private international law. Yet they also show that “public policy” is not a universal concept producing a universal result. It reflects the values and regulatory choices of the jurisdiction asked to enforce a foreign judgment.

Dr Lina Klesper is an International Legal Assistant at PKF Malta

The post When gambling crosses borders, public policy follows first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The initiative recognises that buying a home is one of the most important financial and personal decisions a person can make. Through its Home Finance hubs, BOV is giving customers direct access to specialist expertise, clearer guidance and dedicated support throughout their home-buying journey, with a process designed to be simpler, more transparent and more responsive to individual needs.

The Gżira Home Finance hub was officially inaugurated by CEO Kenneth Farrugia, in the presence of director Diane Bugeja, chief Personal & Wealth officer Simon Azzopardi, chief Commercial officer Simon Grech, chief Operations officer Ernest Agius, and chief People & Culture officer Ray Debattista. The hub has been serving customers since May and builds on the experience gained through the successful launch of the bank’s first Home Finance hub in Mosta earlier this year.

Speaking during the inauguration, Farrugia explained: “Personalisation is a key strategic priority for Bank of Valletta because no two customers are the same. The Home Finance hub model reflects this philosophy in a very practical way. Purchasing a home is far more than a financial transaction. It is a significant life milestone, and customers rightly expect support that reflects their individual circumstances, aspirations and needs. Our ambition is not simply to open new locations, but to create a better experience for our customers. Through these hubs, we are bringing specialist expertise closer to customers, providing greater clarity throughout the process and strengthening ownership across every stage of the journey. This is how we translate strategy into meaningful improvements that customers can see, feel and value.”

The Home Finance hub model complements the bank’s branch network by bringing home loan specialists and supporting teams into a more coordinated operating model. Stronger collaboration between branches, consumer finance, credit and other supporting functions is intended to provide a smoother, more consistent experience, reduce avoidable delays and improve communication with customers.

Azzopardi said: “The Home Finance hubs are where strategy becomes visible to customers. They enable us to offer specialist support while remaining closely connected to the wider customer journey. Customers want clarity, reassurance and confidence that they have the right support at the right moment. The hub model allows us to deliver that in a more focused and effective way, combining specialist expertise with a personal approach.”

Addressing guests, Bugeja highlighted the importance of continued investment in areas that have a direct impact on customers’ lives. “Financing a home is one of the most significant decisions many people will ever make. Customers are looking not only for competitive solutions but also for guidance, transparency and confidence that their application is being managed with care and professionalism. The Home Finance hub model strengthens our ability to offer that consistently while reinforcing the trust customers place in the bank.”

Customers visiting the Gżira Home Finance hub can discuss first-time buyer home loans, property purchase financing, buy-to-let financing, refinancing of existing home loans, affordability assessments and property-related financial planning. The hub also provides guidance on government incentives, insurance requirements and other aspects related to home ownership.

The Gżira Home Finance hub is the second of four dedicated Home Finance hubs being established by BOV. Through this strategy, the bank is strengthening its position as a leading provider of home financing in Malta while continuing to invest in personalised service, specialist expertise and stronger customer relationships at every stage of the journey.

The post BOV inaugurates second Home Finance hub in Gżira first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Labour status

The Labour Force Survey estimates indicated that, during the second quarter of 2026, total employment stood at 339,935, accounting for 65.9 per cent of the population aged 15 and over. The number of unemployed persons stood at 11,431 (2.2 per cent) while inactive persons totalled 164,136 (31.8 per cent). The activity rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 82.8 per cent with the highest rate being recorded among persons aged 25 to 54 (92.1 per cent). 

The employed population

On average, out of every 100 persons aged between 15 and 64 years, 80 were employed. The male employment rate for this age bracket was 85.1 per cent while that for females stood at 73.9 per cent. The largest share of employed persons was recorded among those aged 25-34 years, closely followed by those aged 35-44 years.

Self-employed persons accounted for 13.5 per cent of all persons with a main job. The majority of employed persons worked on a full-time basis, amounting to 299,994 persons. A further 39,941 had a part-time job as their primary employment. In the second quarter of 2026, employed persons worked an average of 35.3 hours per week, 0.2 hours more than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Results show that, on average, full-timers worked 37.3 hours while part-timers worked 20.5 hours per week.

The average monthly basic salary for employees for the second quarter of 2026 was estimated at €2,282. The highest basic salary by sector was recorded in the Financial and insurance activities sector (€3,021).  Average monthly salaries varied by occupation, from €1,412 among persons employed in elementary occupations to €3,657 among managers.

The unemployed and inactive population

The unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2026 stood at 3.3 per cent. Females accounted for 57.9 per cent of total inactive persons and those over 65 years made up the highest share of the inactive. The main reason for inactivity was reaching retirement age or taking up early retirement (41.7 per cent).

Education attainment

Among the total population aged 15 years and over, 36.9 per cent had attained a secondary level of education or less. By contrast, 41.1 per cent of employed persons within the same age group had attained a tertiary level of education.

The post Nearly 340,000 in employment, Labour Force Survey shows first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The works will be carried out in an environmentally friendly manner, preserving the site’s historical and architectural character while upgrading it for continued operational use, the corporation said in a statement.

The pumping station is a scheduled Grade 1 Neo-Gothic building, constructed around 130 years ago to serve as the sewage pumping station for the region, and is recognised as part of Malta’s industrial and architectural heritage.

The building will undergo restoration alongside interventions to improve the operational systems used by WSC, so that it retains its original utilitarian and infrastructural function.

The regeneration also extends to the surrounding site, which is currently underused. Plans include a public garden designed around the principle of biodiversity, part of the main building hosting the offices of the Gżira Local Council as an anchor for the local community, and the restoration of the site’s existing concrete water tower, one of the few of its kind still standing.

Rainwater management, harvesting and reuse are built into the garden design, reflecting WSC’s core water management function. The project is built on two pillars, operations and community, balancing the pumping station’s role in Malta’s water network with the creation of public space for residents.

The design has been developed by AP Valletta in collaboration with WSC. The pumping station is listed as a building of particular historical and architectural interest. The tender forms part of WSC’s National Investment Plan, which will see more than €400 million invested in Malta’s water infrastructure over the next decade.

“This project brings together the preservation of an important part of Malta’s industrial and architectural heritage with the continued operational use of the site, while also creating a new public space for the local community,” said Karl Cilia, CEO of the Water Services Corporation. The tender reflects WSC’s commitment to safeguarding sites of heritage value within its estate. More information on the Gżira Pumping Station project can be found here: www.wsc.com.mt/gziraps.

The post WSC issues tender for the regeneration of the Gżira Pumping Station first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.