WATER TAXI SERVICES REGULATIONS

WATER TAXI SERVICES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 499.55

WATER TAXI SERVICES REGULATIONS

1st March, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 71 of 2009, as amended by Act XV of 2009.

(1) The title of these regulations is the Water Taxi Services

Regulations.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to regulate the water taxi

services provided in the internal and territorial waters of Malta.

(Regulation 8)

Water Taxi Services Tariffs

Type of trip

1. Direct trips between landing places within the same port or internal

waters

(a) up to two passengers ................................................................

(b) for every additional passenger ..................................................

2. Direct trips between landing places within the zones as indicated in

the Second Schedule

(a) trips within the same zone

(i) up to two passengers .........................................................

(ii) for every additional passenger ...........................................

(b) trips between neighbouring zones

(i) up to two passengers .........................................................

(ii) for every additional passenger ...........................................

(c) trips between other zones

(i) up to two passengers .........................................................

(ii) for every additional passenger ...........................................

3. Water tours

(a) up to two passengers, for every hour or part thereof ..................

(b) for every additional passenger, for every hour or part thereof ...

4. Waiting charge for every hour or part thereof ...................................

WATER TAXI SERVICES

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires

"authorised officer" means an officer of the Authority, the Police,

or a community officer;

"the Authority" means the Authority for Transport in Malta

established by the Authority for Transport in Malta Act;

"Code of Practice" shall have the same meaning as that assigned

to it in the Regulations;

"commercial vessel certificate" shall have the same meaning as

that assigned to it in the Regulations;

"commercial vessel operator ’s licence" shall have the same

meaning as that assigned to "licence" in the Regulations;

"hire" means the carriage of passengers against payment or

compensation by the person who is transported;

"internal waters" shall have the same meaning as that assigned to

it in the Authority for Transport in Malta Act;

"master" shall have the same meaning as that assigned to it in the

Regulations;

"passage boat" means the traditional Maltese dgħajsa licensed

for the conveyance of fee paying passengers within the Grand

Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour;

"passenger" shall have the same meaning as that assigned to it in

the Regulations;

"persons with reduced mobility" shall have the same meaning as

that assigned to it in the Code of Practice;

"port" shall have the same meaning as that assigned to it in the

Ports and Shipping Act;

"the Regulations" means the Commercial Vessel Regulations;

"territorial waters" shall have the same meaning as that assigned

to it in the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act;

"water taxi operator" means a person who is in possession of a

licence issued by the Authority to operate a water taxi;

"water scheduled service" means a series of crossings from one

landing place to another in terms of a published time table

WATER TAXI SERVICES

approved by the Authority; and

"water taxi" means a commercial vessel licensed to ply for hire

for the carriage of passengers within the internal and territorial

waters of Malta and which complies with the requirements for a

water taxi in the Code of Practice, but excludes a passage boat.

Map of the Islands of Malta divided into six zones

(1) No person may operate a water taxi service unless he is

in possession of a commercial vessel operator’s licence.

(2) The water taxi operator is responsible to ensure that all

relative laws and regulations are observed at all times.

(3) The water taxi operator is responsible to ensure that the

crew employed by him is in possession of the requisite certificates

issued in terms of the Regulations.

(1) No boat may be used as a water taxi unless it conforms

in every respect with the requirements set down in the Regulations,

or any other applicable regulations, and in the Code of Practice,

and is covered with a commercial vessel certificate.

(2) A water taxi service may be operated in all the internal and

territorial waters of Malta, so far as such service is not a water

scheduled service.

(1)

While on duty, the master of a water taxi

(a) shall wear a clean white shirt, white long or bermuda

trousers, white socks and closed shoes;

(b) may wear a cap and a jacket of a design approved by

the Authority;

(c) shall wear the identification card prescribed by the

Authority; and

(d) shall ensure that he wears the clothes and the

identification card in a proper manner at all times.

(2) No master of a water taxi shall make use of an

identification card other than that issued to him by the Authority

and such identification card shall not be transferable from one

master to another.

(3) For the purpose of this regulation, "while on duty" means

any such time when the master of a water taxi is waiting at a

landing place, exposing the water taxi for hire or driving the water

taxi, whether carrying passengers or not.

(4) At the commencement of every trip, the master shall ensure

that all safety and communication equipment is in good working

order and shall only use the communication channels as specified

by the Authority from time to time.

(5) The authorised officer may suspend any master at once if

such master is found, in the discretion of the officer, in breach of

this regulation.

(1) The master of a water taxi shall not at any time leave

the water taxi unattended while it is alongside a landing place.

(2)

The master of a water taxi exposed for hire at a landing

WATER TAXI SERVICES

place shall not refuse, without reasonable cause, the hire of his

water taxi from any person requesting such hire to any given

destination.

(3) A master of a water taxi refusing a hire as referred to in

sub-regulation (2) shall, saving his liability to the penalties

established in these regulations, immediately leave the landing

place.

(4) The master of a water taxi, while standing or plying for

hire, shall not call or otherwise importune any person to hire such

water taxi and shall not make use of the services of any other

person for such purposes.

(5) The master of a water taxi who has agreed or has been hired

to be in attendance with a water taxi at an appointed time and place,

shall attend with such water taxi at such appointed time and place.

(6) The master of a water taxi, when asked to drive to any

particular destination, shall, unless directed otherwise by the hirer,

proceed to that destination using the most expeditious route.

(7) The master of a water taxi which is on hire, while the hiring

continues, shall wait with the water taxi at such places and for such

time as the hirer may lawfully direct.

(1) The tariff of fares for the hire of a water taxi shall be

that shown in the First Schedule, provided that lower fares may be

charged.

(2) The tariff of fares shall be applicable to a complete water

taxi service and shall be inclusive of the handling of a normal sized

luggage.

(3) A printed form, issued by the Authority and suitably framed

showing the tariff of fares and other information as the Authority

may establish, is to be displayed conspicuously at all times in the

interior of every water taxi.

(4) No passenger shall refuse to pay the fare to the master of a

water taxi at the end of a trip.

(5) The master of a water taxi shall not charge or demand a

higher fare than that shown in the First Schedule.

(1) The master of a water taxi shall provide the passenger

with a receipt showing the date, the amount paid and the origin and

destination of the trip.

(2) A passenger may be requested by an authorised officer to

produce his receipt in order to check and inspect the receipt and its

validity on disembarking from a water taxi.

(1) A water taxi shall display a "Water Taxi" sign which

shall be written and fitted as prescribed in the Code of Practice.

(2) A water taxi shall have the same colour and image as

prescribed in the Code of Practice.

(3) The master of a water taxi shall keep the water taxi

constantly clean and in good order and repair while in use in the

WATER TAXI SERVICES

provision of a water taxi service.

The master of a water taxi is obliged to assist and help any

person with reduced mobility in embarking or disembarking from

the water taxi and during the trip aboard the water taxi.

Any contravention committed against the provisions of

these regulations shall be treated in the same manner as if it has

been committed under the Regulations.

WATER TAXI SERVICES