EMEA News
Bunkering to Continue at Malta Anchorage After Proposed Wind Farm Deemed Environmentally Unfriendly
A proposed wind farm which would have closed a bunkering anchorage in Malta has been cancelled by the Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA), the MEPA announced.
The MEPA board said the wind farm project at Sikka l-Bajda was judged to be too environmentally harmful to the surrounding area, in particular to marine ecology and avian wildlife.
According to local media, the Sikka l-Bajda forms part of the largest bunkering site in Malta, with figures estimating that approximately 20 percent of the country's bunkering activity took place there in 2009.
The construction of the proposed 19 wind turbines would have forced bunkering activities to relocate elsewhere, as it would have been too dangerous to drop anchor in an area close to underwater electrical supply cables.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (IEA) related to the cancelled wind farm however, has also pointed out the harmful environmental impacts of bunkering in the area.
One of the studies reportedly highlights “deep, elongated, narrow and linear to meandering depressions” along the plateau, which is believed to be caused by anchor dragging, along with bunker spillages and the introduction of non-native species of wildlife through discharging ballast water.
One report also recommends that ending bunkering in the area would improve sediment and seawater quality.
It was reported mid-last year that the expansion of bunkering and other maritime activity would be a key area of development for Malta's economy.
