TOWAGE (TARIFF OF RATES) REGULATIONS

TOWAGE (TARIFF OF RATES)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 499.49

TOWAGE (TARIFF OF RATES) REGULATIONS

13th August, 2007

LEGAL NOTICE 208 of 2007, as amended by Legal Notices 425 of 2007,

143 of 2008, 373 of 2010 ,217 of 2012, 211 of 2019, 404 of 2020, 108 of

2023 and 229 of 2025.

The title of these regulations is the Towage (Tariff of

Rates) Regulations.

Substituted by

L.N. 425 of 2007;

(Regulation 2)

L.N. 143 of 2008.

Amended by

L.N. 373 of 2010.

Substituted by

L.N. 217 of 2012.

Amended by

L.N. 211 of 2019;

L.N. 404 of 2020;

L.N. 108 of 2023;

L.N. 229 of 2025.

Rates per tug per hour or part thereof

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Normal rates

Rates applicable

(vide note 2)

between 6 p.m. of one

day and 6 a.m. of the

next following day

and at any time on

Saturdays, Sundays

and public holidays

(vide note 3)

€

€

For vessels up to 3,000 gross

tons (gt)

For vessels of gross tons (gt)

between

3,001 and 6,000

6,001 and 10,000

10,001 and 13,000

13,001 and 16,000

1,095

16,001 and 20,000

1,330

20,001 and 24,000

1,060

1,545

24,001 and 35,000

1,205

1,755

35,001 and 45,000

1,310

1,925

45,001 and 60,000

1,440

2,120

60,001 and 80,000

1,595

2,365

80,001 and 100,000

1,755

2,605

100,001 and 150,000

1,890

2,785

150,001 and 200,000

2,070

3,055

For vessels exceeding 200,000

2,250

3,330

gross tons (gt)

Notes

(1) Subject to availability of the number of continuously manned tugs based at

Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk respectively and subject to the prioritisation of

shipping movements in ports, towage services shall be delivered within one hour’s

notification of actual commencement of the operation.

(2) Normal rates in accordance with the charges computed under Column 2 shall

apply on normal working days - Monday to Friday - between 0600 hours and 1800

hours, excluding public holidays

Provided that when additional tugs are required over and above the tugs

continuously manned in the Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta or the Port of Marsaxlokk,

Malta respectively, the charges for the additional tugs required shall be computed at the

rates under Column 3 or the charges computed at the rates in Column 2 increased by

€415 per tug, whichever rate is the greater.

(3) For services given between 6 p.m. of one day and 6 a.m. of the next following

day or at any time on a Saturday, Sunday or another public holiday, either the charges

computed at the rates under Column 3 or the charges computed at the rates under

Column 2 increased by €815 per tug shall apply, whichever rate is the greater.

(4) Subject to the provisions of regulation 6, the minimum charge shall in no

case be less than the rate calculated for two hours.

(5) Subject to the provisions of regulation 2, the rates payable for the assistance

of vessels with 50% and over transhipment cargo calling at the Malta Freeport

facilities at Marsaxlokk and for vessels calling at Marsaxlokk in connection with oil

blending and storage operations for transhipment or re-export purposes only, shall be

calculated at a minimum rate of one hour or, if in excess of one hour, the actual time

of operation to the nearest quarter of an hour.

(6) The rates payable for the assistance of disabled vessels shall be increased by

50%, subject to a minimum of €1,615 per tug for vessels up to 3,000 gross tons (gt)

and subject to a minimum of €2,715 per tug for vessels exceeding 3,000 gross tons

(gt)

Provided that this additional charge shall not apply to non-self-propelled barges

and other vessels, both under 45 metres in length.

"Disabled vessel" means any vessel which because of some circumstances is

unable to manoeuvre safely and under its own control and includes

•

vessels arriving off Malta or leaving Malta on tow;

•

vessels with engine breakdown (partial or otherwise), including loss of

power or engines, regardless of percentage loss and including cases

where only one of a number of engines are operational;

•

vessels with rudder trouble (partial or otherwise), including rudder

locked in a particular position;

•

vessels with loss of steering abilities, regardless of limitations;

•

vessels with generator failure;

•

vessels with any other defect which affects the capability of the vessel

when manoeuvring, including loss of propeller;

•

cold moves or dead ships;

•

oil rigs and other craft/floating objects not of a normal design of a ship.

This applies to any tug assistance to such vessels/crafts entering, shifting or

leaving the Maltese Harbours, and within Malta’s territorial limits.

Provided that the definition of "disabled vessel" shall not apply to

breakdowns or defects of a temporary nature which occur during the performance of

a normal towage operation, when such breakdown or defect lasts for 30 minutes or

less.

(7) Without prejudice to the provisions of regulation 4, when an additional tug is

ordered for service, over and above the tugs continuously manned in the Grand Harbour,

Valletta, Malta or the Port of Marsaxlokk, Malta respectively, at any time, without being

given at least 4 hours’ notice, an extra charge of €540 per tug shall be charged.

(8) A fuel surcharge (BAF) shall be applied to cover fluctuations in the

international price of oil. The surcharge based on the price of gas oil shall be

calculated as a percentage on the normal rates charged for the service in accordance

with Column 2 and shall be revised periodically to reflect fluctuations in oil prices,

as published or announced from time to time by the competent authority responsible

for the publication of the official fuel price notifications. The fuel surcharge will be

charged over and above the normal rates included in the invoiced price of each

operation, and will not be subject to any rebates.

(9) The rates applicable for a vessel (including any type of craft or floating

object) whose breadth moulded is in excess of 25% of its length overall, shall be

increased by one hundred per centum (100%).

(10) "Gross tonnage (gt)" is calculated in accordance with the International

Convention on Tonnage Measurements of Ships 1969 which became mandatory for

all vessels in July 1994: provided that when the official Gross Tonnage Certificate of

a vessel has not been issued and, or cannot be determined by a competent authority

in accordance with the provisions of the relative Convention, the rate per tug per

hour shall be determined by the length overall of the vessel on the basis of the gross

tonnage of such vessels of the same or similar length overall.

The charges for tug assistance to vessels entering, leaving

or shifting in ports, including Grand Harbour, Marsamxett Harbour

or Marsaxlokk Harbour, shall be at the rates specified in the

Schedule.

(1) The time for which the rates are applicable in

accordance with the Schedule shall start running either from the

time the tug is ordered to commence work or from the time of

leaving berth, whichever is the earlier, and the time of completion

shall be that when the tug reaches berth.

(2) Subject to the provisions of subregulation (1), the time

spent by the tug proceeding from berth to vessel to commence

operations or from vessel following the end of operation to berth

shall be calculated on the basis of a set rate irrespective of the

actual time taken, if the service is provided within -

(a) Grand Harbour, at 20 minutes;

(b) Marsamxett Harbour, at 30 minutes;

(c) Marsaxlokk Harbour, at 20 minutes;

(d) Grand Harbour or Marsaxlokk Harbour, if the tug or

tugs are based at the other harbour, within 60 minutes;

(e) other ports, actual time from berth to berth.

The ordering of tugs shall take place as follows

(a) for movements that can be carried out by the tugs

continuously manned in Grand Harbour and at

Marsaxlokk, the order shall be placed at least three

hours before the commencement of the operations

Provided that when additional tugs are required over

and above the tugs continuously manned in that

Harbour, the order for the additional tugs so required

shall be placed at least four hours before the

commencement of the operation;

(b) if orders for tugs are not placed in accordance with the

provisions of paragraph (a), tug assistance shall be

rendered subject to the other provisions of these

regulations and to note (1) and note (7) of the

Schedule.

The Authority for Transport in Malta may exempt from

towage any ship in any particular case.

TOWAGE (TARIFF OF RATES)

(1) No charge shall be made in the case of tugs

continuously manned in that Harbour if an order for the service of a

tug is cancelled and notice of such cancellation is given at least one

hour before the time such service was due to commence

Provided that in the case of additional tugs being used over

and above the tugs continuously manned in that Harbour, the notice

of such cancellation shall be of at least four hours.

(2) If the notice of cancellation is not given as provided in sub-

regulation (1) , there shall be charged the minimum rate of one hour

as specified in Column 2 or Column 3 of the Schedule, depending

on the time and day when the service was due to commence.