TRANSPORT MALTA
Local Notice to Mariners No. 173 of 2026
Restricted areas around Malta due to danger of falling rocks
The Ports and Yachting Directorate within Transport Malta wishes to advise all mariners, vessel owners, operators, and swimmers of the potential danger posed by falling rocks in various coastal areas around the Maltese Islands.
Due to the geological characteristics of the Maltese Islands and the effects of natural erosion caused by sea waves, strong winds, and rainfall, rocks and boulders may become dislodged from sea caves, sea arches, sea stacks, and cliff faces without warning.
Please note that the list of restricted areas is not exhaustive and may be amended from time to time. In addition, rockfalls can occur at any coastal location around the Maltese Islands in the vicinity of cliff faces or where overhanging rock formations exist. Mariners and swimmers are advised to be diligent and maintain a safe distance from cliff faces at all times.
The coastal areas indicated on the charts found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) have been designated as restricted areas for both vessels and swimmers and should be strictly avoided.
Mariners are further advised that ropes supported by black and white buoys may be installed along the designated restricted boundaries.
All mariners are therefore requested to:
Exercise extreme caution when navigating close to cliffs and cave entrances;
Maintain a safe distance from cliff faces at all times;
Observe all restrictions and navigational warnings in the affected areas.
The following areas shown on the charts found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt) are restricted to both vessels and swimmers and should be avoided:
Għar Għana – Comino – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 1 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
Latitude (N) Longitude (E)
A 36° 01'.106 014° 19'.469
B 36° 01'.100 014° 19'.495
Santa Maria Caves – Comino, formed by joining the points A, B, C, D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 2 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 36° 01'.114 014° 20'.432
B 36° 01'.125 014° 20'.510
C 36° 01'.022 014° 20'.531
D 36° 01'.007 014° 20'.426
Between Il-Ponta tal-Aħrax and Daħlet ix-Xilep – Mellieħa – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C and the intermediate coastline as shown ot chart 3 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 59'.601 014° 22'.323
B 35° 59'.346 014° 22'.602
C 35° 59'.330 014° 22'.577
Irdum il-Ħmar (Aħrax tal-Mellieħa) – Mellieħa Bay – formed by joining the points A, B, C, D, E and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 4 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 58'.908 014° 21'.846
B 35° 58'.886 014° 21'.869
C 35° 59'.252 014° 22'.675
D 35° 59'.346 014° 22'.602
E 35° 59'.330 014° 22'.577
L-Imġiebaħ – Il-Bajja tal-Mellieħa – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 5 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 58'.132 014° 22'.841
B 35° 58'.089 014° 22'.889
Irdum il-Bies – Il-Bajja ta' San Pawl – An area of 50m radius centred on the following approximate position as shown on Chart 6 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 57'.708 014° 23'.766
Il-Veċċja – Il-Bajja ta' San Pawl – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 7 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 56'.833 014° 23'.492
B 35° 56'.858 014° 23'.495
Qala tal-Għażżelin – Il-Bajja ta' San Pawl – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 8 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 56'.967 014° 24'.121
B 35° 56'.964 014° 24'.129
Għar id-Dud (Tas-Sliema) – The area formed by joining the points A, B, C, D, and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 9 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 54'.772 014° 30'.425
B 35° 54'.772 014° 30'.475
C 35° 54'.730 014° 30'.475
D 35° 54'.703 014° 30'.427
Il-Ponta tal-Imgerbeb – Il-Belt Valletta – The area formed by joining the points A, B, C, D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 10 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 53'.848 014° 31'.111
B 35° 53'.818 014° 31'.130
C 35° 53'.791 014° 31'.039
D 35° 53'.813 014° 31'.028
Fort Ricasoli – Rinella – Three separate areas are designated, namely: (i) the area enclosed by a line joining points A and B, together with the intervening coastline; (ii) the area enclosed by a line joining points C, D, and E, together with the intervening coastline; and (iii) the area enclosed by a line joining points F and G, together with the intervening coastline, as shown on Chart 11 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 53'.861 014° 31'.688 (i)
B 35° 53'.887 014° 31'.617
C 35° 53'.894 014° 31'.408 (ii)
D 35° 53'.883 014° 31'.393
E 35° 53'.771 014° 31'.528
F 35° 53'.697 014° 31'.610 (iii)
G 35° 53'.666 014° 31'.621
Under Ex-Bighi Hospital in Id-Daħla tar-Rinella – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 12 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 53'.645 014° 31'.504
B 35° 53'.652 014° 31'.517
C 35° 53'.600 014° 31'.556
Dawret ix-Xatt – Xgħajra – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 13 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 53'.129 014° 33'.148
B 35° 53'.121 014° 33'.152
C 35° 53'.113 014° 33'.158
Golf l-Abjad – Ħaż-Żabbar – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 14 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 52'.891 014° 33'.450
B 35° 52'.888 014° 33'.503
Il-Ponta taż-Żonqor – Il-Bajja ta' Marsaskala – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 15 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 52'.001 014° 34'.291
B 35° 52'.004 014° 34'.334
C 35° 52'.017 014° 34'.368
Il-Bajja ta' San Tumas – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C to D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 16 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 51'.320 014° 34'.041
B 35° 51'.340 014° 34'.113
C 35° 51'.420 014° 34'.142
D 35° 51'.426 014° 34'.231
Il-Ponta tal-Munxar – San Tumas Inner – The area formed by joining the points A, B, C, D, and the intermediate coastline (as shown on Chart 17 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 50'.992 014° 33'.922
B 35° 50'.999 014° 33'.916
C 35° 51'.013 014° 33'.943
D 35° 51'.005 014° 33'.950
Munxar Window – Marsaskala – formed by a line joining points A and B together with the intermediate coastline, and a line joining points C and D together with the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 18 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 50'.996 014° 34'.179
B 35° 50'.998 014° 34'.184
C 35° 50'.999 014° 34'.204 D 35° 50'.996 014° 34'.205
Il-Munxar, Marsaskala – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 19 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 50'.970 014° 34'.300
B 35° 50'.677 014° 34'.067
Il-Ħofriet – Delimara – Four separate areas are hereby designated, namely the area (i) enclosed by lines joining points A, B, C and D together with the intervening coastline; the area (ii) enclosed by lines joining points E, F, G, H, I and J together with the intervening coastline; the area (iii) enclosed within a radius of 50 metres centred on point K together with the intervening coastline; and the area (iv) enclosed by lines joining points L, M, N and O together with the intervening coastline as shown on Chart 20 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 50'.527 014° 33'.798 (i)
B 35° 50'.509 014° 33'.819
C 35° 50'.481 014° 33'.781
D 35° 50'.506 014° 33'.753
E 35° 50'.298 014° 33'.843 (ii)
F 35° 50'.323 014° 33'.824
G 35° 50'.344 014° 33'.761
H 35° 50'.248 014° 33'.831
I 35° 50'.267 014° 33'.766
J 35° 50'.313 014° 33'.722
K 35° 50'.124 014° 33'.617 (iii)
L 35° 50'.043 014° 33'.818 (iv)
M 35° 50'.043 014° 33'.854
N 35° 49'.991 014° 33'.854
O 35° 49'.991 014° 33'.806
Il-Ponta ta' Delimara – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline (as shown on Chart 21 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 49'.430 014° 33'.381
B 35° 49'.165 014° 33'.539
Għar Ħasan – Birżebbuġa – formed by joining the points A, B, C, D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 22 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 48'.418 014° 31'.147
B 35° 48'.368 014° 31'.148
C 35° 48'.368 014° 31'.214
D 35° 48'.419 014° 31'.214
Blue Grotto limits of Wied iż-Żurrieq – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 23 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 49'.272 014° 27'.415
B 35° 49'.307 014° 27'.455
Għar Lapsi – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C to D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 24 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 49'.639 014° 25'.464
B 35° 49'.640 014° 25'.497
C 35° 49'.615 014° 25'.523
D 35° 49'.614 014° 25'.528
Fomm ir-Riħ – The area formed by joining the points A, B, C, D, E and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 25 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 54'.395 014° 20'.454
B 35° 54'.412 014° 20'.413
C 35° 54'.444 014° 20'.400
D 35° 54'.478 014° 20'.404
E 35° 54'.488 014° 20'.415
Ta' Marija Caves – Mġarr – An area of 50m radius centred on the following approximate position as shown on Chart 26 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 55'.089 014° 19'.979
Il-Bajja tal-Ġnejna – Qarraba – Two separate areas are hereby designated, namely the area (i) enclosed by lines joining points A to B and the intermediate coastline and area (ii) enclosed by lines joining points C, D and E and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 27 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 55'.310 014° 20'.644 (i)
B 35° 55'.325 014° 20'.643
C 35° 55'.582 014° 20'.609 (ii)
D 35° 55'.601 014° 20'.570
E 35° 55'.586 014° 20'.509
Ir-Ramla ta' Għajn Tuffieħa – The area bounded by the imaginary line A to B to C to D and the intermediate coastline as shown on Chart 28 found on the Transport Malta website (www.transport.gov.mt).
A 35° 55'.845 014° 20'.576
B 35° 55'.832 014° 20'.558
C 35° 55'.807 014° 20'.586
D 35° 55'.802 014° 20'.617
E 35° 55'.819 014° 20'.621
This Local Notice to Mariners is to replace Local Notice to Mariners numbers 132, 153, 189 of 2025 and numbers 5, 108, 149 and 155 of 2026, which are hereby CANCELLED.
Charts affected: BA 36, 177, 194, 211A, 211B, 1537, 2538.
7th September, 2026
