GMA: 70 ships operating around Gibraltar in various capacities

GIBRALTAR - In its latest annual report the Gibraltar Maritime Administration counts a total of 70 vessels operating around the Rock in a variety of sizes and functions. These include smaller ferrying boats to tankers and barges, many of which are used for bunkering purposes in open waters. In total, some 220 people are employed in the business. The number of vessels registered under the flag of Gibraltar increased by 9% over the previous report's period -this one covers from April, 2009 to March 31, 2010-, a fact that Minister for Transport Joe Holliday pointed out as a satisfactory increase, while remembering that the number of registered vessels was only 39 only ten years ago, whereas they are now e312. The verag age of these is 10 year, and most of the more recently registered ships are oil and chemical carriers, most of them newly built.