Record number of passengers, cars cross to Gozo over Easter weekend despite hitches

The mechanical problems the Gozo Channel ferry Ta’ Pinu had on Maundy Thursday did not stop the company from registering a record number of passenger and vehicle crossings over the Easter weekend, the Gozo Ministry said yesterday.

On Thursday, the company had to deal with an issue that caused long delays at both terminals, but the number of passengers crossing the channel was 10.6% higher than that registered in the same period last year (and 29.3% higher than 2013). The number of cars went up by 10.6% when compared to 2016 and 26.2% in 2013.

The ministry did not give the actual number of passengers and vehicles; just the percentage increase.

The number of ferry crossings increased by 12.

More than a million passengers cross to Gozo in first quarter of 2017

NSO

In the meantime, the National Statistics Office yesterday said that, in the first quarter of 2017, sea transport between Malta and Gozo registered increases compared to the corresponding quarter of 2016.

A total of 1,040,188 passengers travelled between Malta and Gozo during the first quarter this year, up by 3% when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2016. The highest number of passengers was recorded in March – 406,510 or 39.1% of the total for the quarter. The number of vehicles increased by 4.9%, totalling 320,432.

The number of trips amounted to 5,216, an increase of 1% over the same period in 2016. The majority of trips took place in March – 1,830 or 35.1% of total trips for the quarter.

January-March

During this period, passenger traffic originating from Ċirkewwa was busiest on Friday and Thursday, whereas highest numbers from Mġarr were recorded on Sunday and Monday.