Yesterday’s (05/10/2014) midday storm caused damage in many localities. At the Freeport a number of containers fell off.
Ralph Cassar, AD Spokesperson for Transport, Energy and Industry, said: “Yesterday at the Freeport, due to the force of the wind, a ship broke its moorings. Online newspapers described this as a moment of tension. Fortunately the tug boats intervened in time and the ship was retied to the quay. This is not the first incident of its kind. The force of the wind and the power of the waves could easily be stonger than those of yesterday.”
Alternattiva Demokratika Deputy Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo, said: “According to the promises made by Prime Minister Muscat and Minister Konrad Mizzi, on the 1st of April of next year, around 700 meters away from where the ship broke its moorings yesterday, there should be a tanker storing gas for the new power station. If a ship in the Freeport breaks loose, it is not impossible, because of the force of the wind and the waves, that a collision between the ship and the tanker full of gas happens, with serious consequences which could be disastrous. Despite us at AD having warned about this possibility, these scary scenarios were not taken into consideration when MEPA made its decision about the power station. These have now become hard facts and not only possible or hypothetical scenarios.”
Carmel Cacopardo concluded that if a maritime study about Marsaxlokk Bay was carried out, it would have shed light on this type of incidents. “These are incidents which happened in the past and which will continue to happen. It is important that the Government informs us without further delay regarding the precautions which have been taken to address such incidents.”
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Il-maltempata tal-bieraħ għall-ħabta ta’ nofsinhar (05/10/2014) ħalliet ħsara f’diversi partijiet ta’ Malta. Fil-Port Ħieles numru ta’ containers waqgħu minn posthom.
Ralph Cassar, Kelliem ghat-Trasport, Energijia u Industrija ta’ AD, qal: “Il-bierah fil-Port Hieles, bħala riżultat tal-qawwa tar-riħ, li kien jaqbel, kien hemm vapur li nqatgħulu ċ-ċimi u b’hekk ma baqax marbut sewwa mal-moll. Il-gazzetti online jiddeskrivu dan bħala mument ta’ tensjoni. Fortunatament intervjenew fil-ħin il-laneċ tal-irmonk u l-vapur reġa’ intrabat mal-moll. Mhux l-ewwel darba li nqala’ dan it-tip ta’ incident. Il-qawwa tar-riħ u s-saħħa tal-mewġ mhux diffiċli li jkunu ferm iktar minn dawk tal-bieraħ.”
Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Carmel Cacopardo, qal: “Fl-1 ta’ April tas-sena d-dieħla, kif imwiegħed mill-Prim Ministru Muscat u mill-Ministru Konrad Mizzi, madwar 700 metru l-bogħod mill-vapur li nqatgħulu ċ-ċimi, suppost li ser ikun hemm t-tanker bil-ħażna tal-gass għall-użu tal-power station il-ġdida. Jekk vapur fil-Port Ħieles jinqatgħulu ċ-ċimi kompletament mhux impossibli li l-qawwa tar-riħ u l-mewġ iħabbtuh b’saħħa ġot-tanker bil-ħażna tal-gass u dan b;’konsegwenzi li jistghu jkunu diżastrużi. Dan huma affarijiet tal-biża’ li minkejja li tkellimna dwarhom ma ittieħdux in konsiderazzjoni meta l-MEPA ħadet id-deċiżjoni dwar il-power station. Dawn issa huma l-fatti, u mhux iktar x’naħsbu li jista’ jiġri.”
Carmel Cacopardo ikkonkluda billi qal li l-istudju marittimu dwar il-Bajja ta’ Marsaxlokk, kieku sar, seta jitfa’ dawl fuq dan it-tip ta’ inċidenti. “Dawn huma inċidenti li ġraw fil-passat u li jibqgħu jiġru. Huwa importanti issa li l-Gvern jinforma mingħajr dewmien xi preparazzjoni għamel biex jilqa’ ghal dan it-tip ta’ incidenti.”
