A €20 million venture by Fortina Investments in its iSeeMalta hop-on hop-off concept will start operating this summer. The ferry service will offer tourists and locals an environmental solution to inter-island travel, the company said.

The eco-friendly vessels, built to the latest technology standards and “a first within the tourist boat sector in Malta”, will be replacing the traditional Captain Morgan tour business.

In a statement about the service, the company said its purposely-built, brand new ferries will not enter any swimming zones in Balluta Bay; nor will the landing place be anywhere near the sandy beach in Balluta and no ticket booths be set up along the St Julian’s promenade. The project was subject to criticism over its impacts on Balluta bay.

“This misinformation campaign has only served to muddy the waters and prevent people from seeing this service for what it really is – a bus stop at sea that will board and disembark passengers at a temporary landing berth that is already populated by numerous pleasure craft,” a company spokesperson said.

The service will operate between Sliema Ferries, St Julian’s, Bugibba and Comino, and will initially pick up passengers from St Julian’s up to eight times a day.

The company added that, beyond not operating a ticket booth on the St Julian’s promenade, Fortina Investments has for years been in talks with the authorities to have all such ticket booths removed from the Sliema Ferries and replaced with one uniform booth for each operator run under strict conditions.

Tickets for the ferry may be purchased through the company’s dedicated sales point, hotel desks, shops and online portals. “Moreover, the floating landing place at San Giljan ASC is temporary – 10.5m x 5m in size, resting on four legs on the undisturbed seabed and anchored to the existing quay – and a nature monitoring condition report will be undertaken throughout the next five years to ensure that all seabed conditions remain intact.”