Maritime Consultancy and Marine Surveying

Maritime Consultancy and Marine Surveying is a small specialist practice in Żejtun, run by Capt. Reuben Lanfranco, a maritime consultant and marine surveyor whose post-nominals are BA (Crim), M.Jur (Int. Law) and LLM (IMLI). The practice serves boat owners, skippers and people preparing for professional sea-going qualifications.

For UK readers who keep a boat in Malta, or are thinking of buying one, this is the kind of local expert who inspects a vessel for insurance purposes and can help when something goes wrong afloat. The business is one of the listings in our directory of marina and marine services in Malta.

Insurance and condition surveys

A marine survey is an independent inspection of a vessel. The practice carries out insurance and condition surveys and gives a quote based on the information you supply. The online quote form asks for the vessel's length in feet, the year it was built, whether this is the first survey for insurance purposes, the insurer, the type of vessel, the hull material, the number of engines and their make and output, and whether you hold a driving licence for the vessel.

It also asks where the boat is berthed, whether it is afloat or on the hard, and which safety items are on board, such as a liferaft, VHF radio, flares, EPIRB or SART, fire fighting equipment, life jackets and a spare outboard engine. Because the quote is based on what you tell the practice, accurate answers matter. The practice also offers pages on boat insurance tips, Malta ship registration and cargo terms for owners who want background reading.

Emergency services and repairs

The practice has recently begun offering emergency help and repairs to owners of small craft under 24 metres in length. The service covers boats at sea within Maltese territorial and internal waters, and also those on a mooring or on the hard. A rapid response is available at weekends too.

The services listed are divers, underwater emergency repairs to hulls, repairs to main and auxiliary engines, woodwork and general carpentry, fibreglass repairs, boat electrics and electronics, towing, preparation for lifting or lowering a vessel, and an emergency survey by recognised marine surveyors.

Private tuition and maritime courses

For people sitting examinations, the practice offers individual tuition, including at the student's home or workplace. It is running courses for Transport Malta commercial vessel qualifications: General Purpose Hand, Boatman, Boatmaster Grade 2, Boatmaster Grade 1 or Mate (Restricted), Mate or Master (Restricted) and Master. It also assists those studying for the STCW Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, Chief Mate and Master Mariner examinations, and officer cadets preparing for watchkeeping exams and orals.

Group courses are also available and are accredited by DNV-GL Maritime Academy. Tuition fees are not published, so ask when you enquire.

Boating around Malta

Malta sits in the middle of the Mediterranean, and hundreds of ships pass through the Mediterranean every day. Owners are reminded to know the laws and conventions that apply before putting to sea, to carry spare water and food, to tell friends or family where they are going and to carry out a pre-sea check. Guidance on the practice's pages also sets out the steps of a marine radio distress call, which begins with MAYDAY three times and is used only in grave or imminent danger.

Visitors who prefer to leave the boat handling to others can look at Adventure Cruises Malta, and buyers can see 73 Marine among our yacht brokers. Our guides to the Blue Lagoon on Comino, the Blue Grotto and the Three Cities cover places worth reaching by boat, and the Malta weather guide helps with planning, while things to do in Malta and where to stay in Malta round out a trip. For moving a boat or a life to the islands, see our relocation guide for UK movers.

To ask about a survey, repair or course, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the practice.