As from tomorrow, Gozo Channel will put into effect a new schedule of ferry crossings for the shoulder months.

Traditionally, June and October have been regarded as part of the winter schedule, with a summer service coming into force towards the end of June and running through to the end of September.

After consultation with the Gozo Tourism Association, the Industry Ministry recommended that Gozo Channel set up a shoulder month period between 1 and 25 June and again between the end of September through to the end of October.

Under the new schedule, Gozo Channel will be adding an extra two crossings a day, resulting in a total of 48 crossings per day, until it switches to the 56 crossings per day in the summer months.

Meanwhile, on 1 June, a tariff adjustment will come into force, as announced two years ago, adding an extra 25 cents to car crossings, bringing the cost up to Lm6.75. Car crossings for senior citizens will now cost Lm5.50 while a Gozitan car and driver will now have to pay Lm3.50.

Cheap fare schemes will run until the end of June, irrespective of the adjustment in tariffs. The government said that it was committed to ensuring that the ferry service was a viable one that would continue to contribute to the Gozitan economy. As announced in 2004, the tariff adjustment process, spread over three years, was part of the package of measures put into place to make good for the company?s losses that had been accumulating over recent years.

The government said that this loss was primarily due to the fact that the company itself was subsidising the cheaper tickets for Gozitans, as well as high operational fees.

In 2004, the government began to pay Lm1.5 million per year in subsidies, but the company had also reduced operating costs by more than Lm180,000 per year.

The government pointed out that Gozo Channel had also had to make good for an extra Lm200,000 paid out in extra fuel costs due to the international increase in fuel costs. It also noted that Gozo Channel was now paying for the rental of the ships, as well as berthing fees.

The government said that the company is operating with fewer 40 employees than it had in 2003.

The cheap fare schemes operating during the winter resulted in an increase of 1,718 passengers and 643 vehicles during the week, while in operation, and 1,530 passengers and 616 vehicles at weekends.