Mgarr-Cirkewwa remains most popular route, NSO says

Sea transport between Malta and Gozo saw significant year-on-year growth in the second quarter of 2025, according to new data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO). 

The figures reflect a sharp rise in passenger numbers, vehicle crossings, and ferry trips between the islands, with increased demand observed across both regular ferry and fast ferry services.

A total of 1,927,590 passengers travelled between Malta and Gozo from April to June, an increase of 137,382 over the same period in 2024. Vehicle transport also rose to 548,423, up 3.9%, while total ferry trips reached 11,642, registering a 2.8% increase.

The Mġarr-Ċirkewwa route remained the most popular route, handling 82.6% of total traffic. April was the busiest month, accounting for 549,469 passengers, or 34.5% of the quarter’s total. Despite strong demand, the number of trips on this route slightly declined by 0.4% to 8,925.

Meanwhile, the Mġarr-Valletta fast ferry service, limited to foot passengers, recorded sharp growth. 

Trips increased by 15.3%, reaching 2,717, while passenger numbers surged 32.7% to 335,770. May was the strongest month for this service, with 117,819 passengers.

Weekly travel patterns highlighted significant fluctuations in demand. The highest passenger flows from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr occurred on Fridays and Saturdays, while departures from Gozo peaked on Sundays and Mondays. Vehicle transport mirrored these trends, with weekend crossings being consistently high.

The Gozo Channel fleet, comprising vessels such as MV Malita, MV Gaudos, and MV Ta’ Pinu, operated at full capacity following scheduled maintenance earlier in the year. The fast ferry sector has been streamlined under a single operator, Gozo High Speed, following the merger of Gozo Fast Ferry and Virtu Ferries.

Furthermore, the NSO figures suggest Gozo’s connectivity is playing an increasingly critical role in regional economic activity.