One of the five new RHIBs Transport Malta purchased for its maritime enforcement section has already been declared to no longer be seaworthy and needs to be scrapped, while the other four were found to have developed serious structural problems.
But despite technical reports on the state of the vessels having sounded alarm bells, Transport Malta is still using them for its enforcement patrols.
Transport Malta enforcement officers who spoke to The Shift on condition of anonymity said that both Minister Aaron Farrugia and Transport Malta CEO Jonathan Borg were made aware of these problems a long time ago but to no avail.
Farrugia and Borg were also informed that some of the RHIBs were also operating for months with expired licences and registration.
Transport Malta fines boat owners without valid licences and registration with €250 fines.
The issue was also highlighted publicly by independent politician Arnold Cassola.
The so-called investment was made by Minister Ian Borg in July 2021 when he was responsible for Transport Malta. He boasted at the time how the government had spent €500,000 on the seacraft.
Minister Ian Borg announcing the failed investment in 2021.
The Shift is informed they were supplied by an importer from Rabat, Borg’s electoral district and that they had to be refitted since they were not up to Transport Malta’s standards, which significantly increased their price tag.
But during an inspection just a year later by a surveyor from a private company, structural damage was found on two of the boats that rendered two of them unusable.
“The extent of damage seen on ER1 (one of the RHIBs) is deemed to be major,” the surveyor concluded.
“It is strongly advised for ER1 to be placed out of service. The craft’s primary hull structure has been heavily compromised and is no longer deemed seaworthy,” the damning report found.
A section of the damning report delivered to Transport Malta on 7 September 2022.
“Similar instances of damage are being noted on ER2 (another RHIB), the expert reported.
“Continued use of this unit will inevitably lead to the same degree of damages seen on ER1,” it was noted.
According to the surveyor, ER2 was to be used in a limited fashion and only in good weather.
Problems were also noted on all the other RHIBs.
Asked to state who would take responsibility for the gross failure and whether Transport Malta would be instituting legal action against the supplier to recoup damages, both Transport Malta CEO Jonathan Borg and Minister Farrugia have refused to reply. Asked to confirm that the boats were being used with expired registration, they remained similarly tight-lipped.
The damaged RHIBs were recently used as a background for a press conference given by Minister Farrugia to launch Transport Malta’s annual ‘safety at sea’ campaign.
You just couldnt make it up. Premetta central
There are requisites to follow, if these inflatables turned out to be unsuitable, they didn’t have to pass the tests from the beginning, consequently they will have the guarantee, so whoever sold them either reimburses them with new adequate inflatables or reimburses the money, it is easy to find the solution…
not when there is grease money.
They are not rhibs designed for the purpose. They are sport boats to which superstructures were added onto locally. They’re breaking from the pressure. Anything to make sure the preferred bidder wins come what may
The article says that changes were made to the original to make them compliant which probably nulls the guarantee.
Is that why he lets the refugees drown miserably at sea?
He says he is Labour, I think he is a another person without any decency.
Crooks, just a bunch of crooks
Next stage , and I hope it never happens, the PM refuses to make a Public Inquiry when somebody looses his life or gets seriously injured while on the job. There should already be a public inquiry at this stage. The OHSA should be the first to stand up and be counted. But the Speaker will protect those who messed around this contract. So will the AG and who else?
Your comment about the eventuality of serious injury or death of the vessels’ operators while on their job reminds me of the incident, happening about 40 years ago, when an AFM patrol boat (P 18, unless I am mistaken) was used on one occasion to carry fireworks from Gozo to Malta.
The whole cargo exploded, for some reason or another, during the voyage, killing some two or three AFM personnel and seriously damaging the vessel.
I distinctly remember the Commanding Officer responsible – I think it was Colonel John Cachia – stating that ‘those who had committed the mistake had, after all, paid for it themselves’.
That was his way of exculpating himself of his grave responsibility!
It was the PM Dr C Mifsud Bonnici who said so.
The more they fail the more they are 👏 applauded
Precisely, the more corruption they do the more they are applauded and obviously they will continue
So THEY come to you in a boat that is not licensed and charge YOU because your boat is not licensed.
borg replacing korrot mizzi for corruption and arrogance
Asked to state who would take responsibility for the gross failure and whether Transport Malta would be instituting legal action against the supplier to recoup damages” Transport Malta and the lackeys within are FULLY responsible – they were given other options BUT insisted to go ahead with this supplier……. Jail time should seriously be considered – the populace was robbed of their taxes!
Its not their money. Well, only part of it ends up as their money.
If the investment was done in July 2021 the Rhibs are still within the 2 year warranty period and the necessary remedies could be taken against the supplier, only if there is a will though!
Perhaps one could also investigate who took the decision to use/accept unseaworthy vessels, whether the ex Minister’s boat and that of the ex. Deputy CEO Mr. Farrugia, were recently upgraded or replaced to a larger one!
Changes were made to the boats to be compliant and that will nullify any warranty.
ok for the changes, but these inflatables will have been paid at a lower price, as they are not suitable and therefore normal inflatables and then who made these changes? still the same company that sold them? who decided to take these dinghies precisely because they were not suitable?
Why am I not surprised, just another day in Mafialand.
I don’t want to take any side but if you don’t know how to use those dinghies they can be 5000000 euros each the same way they get damaged in the wrong hands and the way they are working so you can make your own calculation. Regards carmelo borg
I might have agreed with you were they for pleasure, however, these were meant to be beaten and be used when others at harbour, so I’m sorry, I do not agree. Have you watched any RNYL missions.