Gozo boat

A ferry service between the islands of Malta and Gozo has existed for centuries,[2] and the earliest known reference to such a link date back to around 1241, when the boat was called the madia[3] or tal-mogħdija.

[2] The Gozo boat became distinct from the speronara in the late 19th century, around the same time that the vessel's use for mercantile activities was declining.

Trips from Gozo to Malta generally carried agricultural products such as fruit, vegetables, eggs, and poultry, while return trips from Malta to Gozo carried manufactured goods such as cement, soft drinks, and beer.

[5] Gozo boats were painted in shades of green, blue, red, and yellow, similar to the traditional luzzu.

[4] In World War II, the boat Stella Maris was destroyed by enemy action.

By the 1960s and 1970s, regular steamer services began to compete with the Gozo boats, which were no longer cost-effective.

It was then purchased by the Gozo Channel Company Limited, who handed it to Wirt Għawdex and sponsored its restoration.

After the boat was restored by the Caruana brothers (the sons of its original builder), it was placed on permanent display at the Żewwieqa promenade in 2014.

[15] The classical 1970s song Id-Dgħajsa tal-Latini by the Maltese band New Cuorey is about a Gozo boat.