| The European Maritime Spatial Planning Platform

Basic facts on Marine Waters

Malta’s internal waters is approximately 199 km², its territorial waters, out to 12 nautical miles (as defined by UNCLOS) cover approximately 3,830 km². Malta’s Contiguous Zone, out to 24 nautical miles (as defined by UNCLOS) is approximately 10,762 km². Its Continental Shelf (as defined by UNCLOS) is covering approximately 75,779 km².
Malta has not yet declared an Exclusive Economic Zone.
Area of the Fisheries Management Conservation Zone (FMCZ) which extends to 25 nm from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial waters is measured (Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act, Cap. 226) is approximately 11,480 km².

Relevant links

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Contact email:

westmed [at] maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu

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Maritime Spatial Plan(s)

Status: Adopted

Malta adopted its fist maritime spatial plan, the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development - SPED (2015-2020) in July 2015, which was since reviewed in preparation for its second phase (2021-2026), in line with the EU MSP Directive.

Malta's maritime spatial plan and related documents are available here (in English)

Latest MSP developments

The first SPED (2015-2020) has been reviewed in preparation for the second phase (2021-2026), in accordance with the MSP Directive. The ending of the first revision will lead to SPED (2021-2026) which will coincide with the development of the Malta Vision 2050, which is the country’s high-level, long-term national roadmap designed to transition Malta into a quality-driven, sustainable, and resilient society.

Note: The SPED (2021-2026) of Malta does not have an independent document. The concept of "phase 2021-2026" refers to the process of strategic review and technical implementation.

MSP legislation

The EU MSP Directive is transposed into national legislation through the subsidiay legislation (S.L.552.27) under the Development Planning Act of 2016 (Cap.552) which states that the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED), and any replacement spatial strategy, shall constitute the Maritime Spatial Plan for Malta.

National MSP authority

Malta's competent authority for MSP is the Planning Authority (PA), under the Ministry for Infrastructure, Planning and Employment (MIPE).

Contacts:

Anna Dora Deguara
The Planning Authority (PA)
Unit Manager
Msp.maltapa.org.mt (Msp[dot]malta[at]pa[dot]org[dot]mt)

Josianne Abela Vassallo
Environmental Assessment Unit
Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)
Eia.maltaera.org.mt (Eia[dot]malta[at]era[dot]org[dot]mt)

For more information

For more information regarding the evolution of the MSP process in Malta please see the dedicated country profile below.

Malta Country Profile.pdf

Malta