€160,000 Bill for Services: A Shocking Tale of Maltese Hospitality

Picture this: You’re a steward on a luxury yacht, cruising the Mediterranean. You think your job is to keep the boat clean, the guests happy. But then, the bill arrives. €160,000 for security and clerical services. Welcome to the world of Malta’s maritime industry, where the cost of doing business can leave you drowning in debt.

Let’s rewind. The steward in question, we’ll call him Joe, was working on a yacht docked in Malta’s prestigious Grand Harbour. He thought his job was straightforward. But little did he know, his employers had other plans. They’d hired a local company to provide ‘security and clerical services’.

Now, security on a yacht might mean CCTV, maybe a guard at night. But in Malta’s competitive maritime industry, it can also mean ‘fixers’. People who smooth over problems, make sure the boat stays in port, the crew stays happy. And clerical services? That’s everything from paperwork to making sure the boat’s supplies are topped up.

But here’s the catch. These services don’t come cheap. And Joe, our steward, was shocked to find out he was being billed for them. €160,000 worth. That’s more than the average Maltese annual salary. And he was expected to pay it all.

Malta’s Grand Harbour is a jewel in our crown. It’s where the rich and famous dock their yachts, where the superyachts come to play. But it’s also where the cost of doing business can skyrocket. And it’s not just the stewards feeling the pinch.

Take the case of the superyacht that docked in Malta last year. Its crew were shocked to find they were being charged €500 a day for mooring. That’s €15,000 a month. And that’s before you factor in the ‘extras’.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Malta’s maritime industry is thriving. We’re the largest registry in Europe, with over 25 million gross tons of ships flying our flag. We’re a hub for superyachts, with more than 300 docking here each year. And we’re home to some of the world’s top maritime companies.

But with growth comes growing pains. And for some, like Joe our steward, the cost of Malta’s maritime success is too high.

So, what can be done? For a start, transparency. We need to know what we’re paying for. Are we paying for security, or are we paying for ‘fixers’? Are we paying for clerical services, or are we paying for favours?

We need to know who’s providing these services. Are they licensed? Are they regulated? Are they paying their taxes? Because right now, it’s a bit of a Wild West out there. And it’s the little guys, like Joe, who are getting hurt.

Malta’s maritime industry is a jewel in our crown. But like any jewel, it needs polishing. It needs transparency. It needs fairness. Because right now, it’s costing some people more than they can afford.

And as for Joe? He’s still fighting his €160,000 bill. But he’s not giving up. Because he loves his job. He loves the sea. And he loves Malta. He just wants to make sure it loves him back.