A controversial floating entertainment platform was spotted off the coast of Comino on Monday morning, sparking concerns among objectors.
Photos sent to Times of Malta show that the high-end beach club, dubbed Noma Island, dropped anchor in front of Santa Marija Battery, which is located in a Marine Area of Special Conservation, after being moored close to the Valletta cruise port.
Noma Island is a 1,750-square-metre floating recreational platform designed as a motorised trimaran-style vessel. It is still unclear what permit the platform has been granted, if any.
The Għajnsielem local council, whose remit encompasses Comino, took to Facebook upon learning of the platform’s location and said it has asked the relevant authorities to refrain from issuing a permit or to retract any existing permits.
Given that Comino is a designated Natura 2000 site and Special Area of Conservation, the council said that any additional commercial activity within or around this protected zone risks causing irreversible damage to marine biodiversity, including habitats that have supported protected species and ecological processes.
The council added that the event platform is expected to increase waste generation as well as noise pollution.
“Existing evidence already shows that excessive tourism and commercial activity in Comino have led to waste accumulation and environmental degradation, placing further strain on the island’s fragile ecosystem,” it said.
The Għajnsielem mayor had already raised objections to the venue’s location at Comino after political party Momentum claimed that the event platform would be anchored there.
Noma Island’s location along the south coast of Comino. Photo: Marine TrafficQuestions have been sent to Transport Malta, the Environment and Resources Authority, and 356 Entertainment for confirmation.
Previously, the Malta Tourism Authority informed Times of Malta that it had not received any applications, adding that the activities of Noma Island do not appear to fall within its remit.
The platform dropped anchor in Maltese waters after being forced out of the French Riviera following opposition from local mayors and environmental groups.
Noma Island is structured across two large decks that house a restaurant, a bar-lounge and a freshwater swimming pool. It can accommodate up to 350 guests, who arrive via private yachts or dedicated speedboat shuttles from the shore
The vessel is being marketed as Malta’s fourth island, a “mystical haven where time stands still” and an exclusive venue that is the only one of its kind in Europe.
The venue has received significant opposition from the mayors of Għajnsielem, Sliema and Mellieħa, as well as Momentum and a group of eNGOs.