Gozo cruise liner terminal/yacht marina: the key part of the project is the real estate

I have received this email (below) from a seasoned sailor. Others have made similar observations, but this is the clearest explanation.

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One of the points that needs to be made is that this project, if implemented as shown in the photos released so far, will not work as a marina. There appears to be a snaking breakwater protecting the marina from the strong north-westerly seas that effect that area, but it is completely exposed to the north-easterly (grigale) seas.

In fact, the breakwater design funnels the north-easterly seas into the marina.

The net result is that if it is built that way, the marina would be safe for boats only for three or four months over the late spring/summer season.

The only way to solve this would be by placing another breakwater across what is currently shown as the entrance. This would be prohibitive financially, particularly because of the construction costs associated with a deep-water breakwater, making the marina functional but uneconomic. But it would also mean that cruise liners would not be able to berth there.

Without a safe spot, cruise liners would only be able to berth during the late spring/summer season, which means three or four months of cruise-liner traffic in the entire year, during what is already the busiest period for Gozo. However, this project is being touted as something that will bring cruise liners to Gozo in the shoulder months.

Of course, that bit of the project which will work all year round is the real estate. Funny that.