Author: Developers Think

“We are proud to say that Grimaldi Group has been a Bronze Collaborator of The Malta Chamber since 2016. But this is not the only reason why The Malta Chamber looks at Grimaldi Group positively. As you may know, The Malta Chamber is actively involved policywise in the Maritime Industry, on Transportation and in Logistics. We also collaborate closely with other Associations like the Association of Ship Agents and the Association of Groupage Operators, as well as the Association of Tractor and Trailer Operators/Owners. We are going through unprecedented times. We are all aware of the main challenges being encountered by our businesses: ever-increasing costs; space availability; transit limitations; international haulage delays; driver shortages, amongst others, and constantly having to find alternative routes and options for the cargo,” said Dr Portelli.

“Grimaldi’s contribution to the Maltese business ecosystem particularly in facilitating imports and exports cannot go unnoticed – it is pertinent to note that Grimaldi’s long-standing presence in Malta has given the country a regular and efficient connection to an extensive, global network which today counts over 140 ports worldwide. And the link to Malta was particularly strengthened in 2005 through Malta Motorways of the Sea (MMOS) Ltd, a subsidiary shipping company within the Grimaldi Group which operates a regular service between Malta and mainland,” explained the CEO.

The Malta Chamber CEO emphasised that the Maritime Industry is an important pillar of our economy. Last year Malta’s ship registry made €24 million in income last year, accounting for 14% of the country’s GDP, with 9,300 vessels registered in Malta (2.2% on the previous year). The tonnage on Maltese registered vessels, which is the total carrying capacity of all the vessels registered in Malta, went from 49 million tonnes in 2012 to 86.1 million tonnes at the end of 2021. All well and good. However, this industry has a lot more potential…potential which has not been tapped into yet.
On the topic of sustainability, Dr Portelli emphasised that “The Grimaldi Group is very much aligned to The Malta Chamber’s ethos. The Malta Chamber advocates in favour of ethical business and constantly insists on the importance of incorporating sustainability in our business models … not only because of legal imposition, but also as a commitment towards society … to a better world. Only last month we saw the christening of ECO Malta in our beautiful port. It is the 6th Green Generation class vessel that Grimaldi have invested in (the 6th out of 12). This vessel, apart from being the largest ro-ro unit in the world for short sea shipping (therefore meeting business requirements better in terms of frequency and availability), is also the most eco-friendly in terms of fuel consumption, both when out at sea and during port stays. She has a loading capacity which is twice that of the previous but consumes the same amount of fuel compared. This means, that at fully capacity CO2 emissions per unit transported are halved. During her port stays, the Eco Malta is zero emissions. She uses electricity stored in mega lithium batteries with a total power of 5 MWH which are kept recharged during navigation through shaft generators and solar panels. She also has an exhaust gas cleaning system for the reduction of sulphur and particulate emissions. The green transition requires great commitment and continuous investments. True sustainability requires business to effectively meet the needs of the market by minimizing the environmental impact. Companies that do it must be commended.”

In her concluding remarks, CEO Dr Portelli said “Malta is an insular island nation state at the periphery of the European continent, with permanent geographical disadvantages which hinder our competitiveness. We depend on maritime logistics to connect to the European mainland, unlike our competitors on mainland Europe who may also avail themselves of rail and road freight. The Freeport & Shipping lines serve a strategic function which at times may go beyond commercial interests in terms of serving Malta with their routes. As a country we depend on shipping lines like Grimaldi for our lifeline. And this is why we need to applaud their service. Some food for thought as my concluding sentence: Malta imports around 70% of its food products, so next time you’re sitting at a table enjoying lunch or dinner, or when at a reception, be grateful to companies like Grimaldi which are bringing food to our table!”

CEO Dr Marthese Portelli represented The Malta Chamber at the Times of Malta Business Breakfast on the panel discussing ‘Post-Pandemic: What is the way forward?’

Dr Portelli emphasised the importance of offering travellers a quality journey by focusing on offering authentic and unique experiences. She emphasised that while its important to factor how we are marketing our product, we must also keep investing in building our capabilities. This does not just mean in upskilling and reskilling workers within the hospitality sector but also in investing in a greener Malta and upping the countries’ digital transformation efforts to increase efficiency.

She also remarked that a tourist’s experience is not only limited to the hotel they are staying in but is also made up of the infrastructure surrounding it and these must be kept to high standards if we intend to keep competing with other jurisdictions. She added that cleanliness is an important element. and emphasised on the importance of enforcement. Furthermore, Dr Portelli remarked that selling bed nights are not enough in isolation and that these need to be netted off by spending power.

During her closing remarks, Dr Portelli stressed upon the fact that upgrading quality will eventually lead to an increase in visitors.

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola met The Malta Chamber at Europe House in Valletta. The current challenges faced by businesses and employers in Malta and Gozo, due to importation blockage, rising prices of imports and shortages of raw materials and consumables, were the main topics of discussion.

Representatives of the Maltese industry highlighted their major concerns – transportation of goods, lack of workers and rising fuel prices – mainly consequences of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Referring to the fact that Malta is an island – facing further challenges than other larger EU Member States – key players within the local industry called for innovative solutions for islands to be more competitive and sustainable.

In this regard, President Metsola referred to a recent action taken by the European Parliament – during this month’s Plenary Session – whereby it called on the European Commission to create an Island Pact – a specific strategy focusing on island states and regions, taking into account the specific challenges encountered. She also said that access to EU funding for islands – both states and regions – must be easier, simpler and faster.

In her exchange, President Metsola referred to her discussion with European leaders during the European Council held earlier this week in Brussels. “Dismissing concerns on rising costs and inflation as a passing phenomenon, or to assume it will not get worse, would be a wrong decision,” President Metsola said.

She stated that Europe needs a steady, clear and united approach that shows that we are all in this together. President Metsola added that there is no one state solution to the social and economic impact that is currently being faced, and that nothing should be off the table.

On the increasing price of fuel, the President of the European Parliament said that the shift to renewable energy is not only a matter of green ambition but a matter of security. She explained that the European Union has agreed to restock gas reserves before winter and to increase the pace of the green transition.

President Metsola highlighted that the current challenges are felt across the board – especially by consumers – and that the European Union must be sensitive towards the needs of the employers, employees, SMEs and consumers.

The Ministry for Energy, Environment and Enterprise, together with The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and Malta Enterprise organised an event followed by a number of workshops. The aim of these workshops were to help the local businesses get more informed about the details and the mechanics of the ESG portal that was launched last December.

During the first part of this event the Minister for Energy, Environment and Enterprise Miriam Dalli said, “that as Government we are committed to keep on incentivizing businesses to help them transition towards a greener and more sustainable operations. She added that, “through schemes offered by Malta Enterprise, companies can transform their businesses model into a more sustainable one. Since the launch of the ESG portal we have seen businesses benefitting from this transition. By investing in environmental, social and governmental aspects. Businesses have returned their best returns to their shareholders.”

In her opening statement to the local industries, the President of The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Marisa Xuereb said that, “sustainability is a new vector of value and we need to look at this challenge through the right lens. This can drive innovation, operational efficiency risk mitigation and employee engagement.” Xuereb said that, “the 80/20 rule applies here too. It is quite pointless trying to measure environmental data that is of little relevance to your business. Context and relativity are everything.”

In a joint presentation, carried out by Mr. Steve Ellul, Financial consultant and advisor to the ministry together with Dr Marthese Portelli, The Malta Chamber CEO, emphasis the importance to embark on the ESG journey and its benefits to both businesses and society. Dr Portelli said that, “The Malta Chamber is proud to be at the forefront in seeing the integration of the ESG model across all businesses. The environmental goals will help reduce carbon footprint, determine more efficient energy sourcing, and set a foundation of how to eliminate unnecessary waste which ultimately reduce operational costs.” She added that, “the social aspect focuses on diversity and better work environment whereas strong governance enhances businesses ethics, increase transparency and privacy protection.” Mr Ellul spoke about how Maltese companies who are investing in sustainable projects are effectively returning better returns to their shareholders. He added that, “data made available from Maltese companies shows that those companies which outperformed the Maltese market in the last 3 years have effectively generated 34% less carbon emissions and consumed 50% less water than the average Maltese company.”

To help the local businesses transform into a more energy efficiency enterprise, the Malta Enterprise offers the Investment Aid for Energy Efficiency. During the event, Mr Kurt Farrugia, Malta Enterprise CEO, said that, “as Malta’s Economic Development Agency we are committed to support the successful green and digital twin transition in Malta. We are providing dedicated support measures for enterprises with the Smart and Sustainable Investment Grant and other schemes such as the Energy Efficiency and Skills Development. In addition, fostering an open exchange and receiving. input from our stakeholders is something which we consider important and core to Malta Enterprise’s value of customer centricity.”

The first part of the conference ended with three company representatives, who spoke about their experience in implementing ESG criteria’s and how this helped their businesses, clients and society at large. These companies were Alberta Group, MedservRegis and TridentEstates plc.