Former Transport Malta CEO and maritime expert Jonathan Borg wants to see much of Malta’s industry moved to an artificial island built on Hurd’s Bank.
Borg, who is nominated as Malta’s ambassador to Panama, said his proposal originally made in 2013 would serve as a hub for Malta’s industrial and maritime activities.
“The goal was to relocate certain functions from the mainland, freeing up valuable space and returning it to the Maltese people while creating a state-of-the-art centre of excellence for the maritime sector,” he said.
“At the time, we had preliminary interest from international investors who saw the potential of such a project, and we also engaged with national authorities to present our vision in full detail,” Borg said.
The proposal suggested moving power stations, dockyards, freeports, fuel depots, industrial supplies, recycling plants and other industries to the artificial island on the shallow plateau 12 nautical miles off Marsascala, known as Hurd’s Bank.
“Of course, building such an island would involve a significant investment – potentially in the hundreds of millions of euros. But the idea was not only visionary; it was also rooted in practical economic opportunity and long-term strategic value for Malta,” Borg told Times of Malta.
Do I still believe in it? Absolutely. It remains one of the concepts I am most proud of. I truly enjoyed working on it, and I believe it still has potential- Jonathan Borg
A bridge and ferry connections would link the artificial island with Malta, he added.
“Do I still believe in it? Absolutely. It remains one of the concepts I am most proud of. I truly enjoyed working on it, and I believe it still has potential”.
Reconsidering the proposal in the present, however, would mean aligning it with current environmental, technological and sustainability standards, Borg said. He said the artificial island could also incorporate carbon capture and storage technology (CCS).
“A number of countries are taking CCS very seriously. It is definitely something that Malta needs to consider – subject, of course, to a detailed cost and social benefit analysis,” he said.
Borg’s proposal comes after Times of Malta reported that the government has identified six potential areas for land reclamation. The most promising site appears to be the Freeport area in Birżebbuġa, followed by sites off Smart City, Fort Ricasoli, Qalet Marku in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Mġarr Harbour in Gozo and an area off The Strand in Sliema.
The government’s 2050 vision says land reclamation should play a key role in addressing Malta’s limited land availability.
Borg headed Malta’s transport authority between April 2023 and February 2024.