About Us

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORT

Due to the sudden growth in usage of the modern means of transport, Transport Experts in the United Kingdom , increasingly felt the necessity to set up an Institute to develop this area in a professional way. Hence, the creation of the Institute of Transport .

An Institute, which gathers among its members a vast selection of professionals in the respective areas of the various means of transport. These include land, rail, sea and air transport.

This Institute, which originated in the United Kingdom , saw the creation of a number of “far-flung” member branches, amongst which one can mention those in Africa, Asia and Australia .

Up to a few years ago, Malta was still considered as an affiliate member of the Institute (U.K.) having been so established in l996. At the time Mr. Willie Scicluna, encouraged Maltese students to enroll in the institute to become part of the Transport family of professional experts. It was this period that saw the birth of the Foundation For Transport Studies. Unfortunately, the untimely demise of Mr. Scicluna resulted, in that both the local Chartered Institute of Transport branch, as well as the Foundation For Transport Studies lay dormant for a number of years.

In 1999, with this background as a basis, Captain Harry Dillon, as the newly elected Chairman, took up the challenge to initiate negotiations with the Institute (U.K.) for them to accept the Maltese application to become an independent section. The high esteem and respect in which the Malta Branch is held in the United Kingdom were reflected when the Institute arrived at the final favourable decision. Following not easy negotiations, Malta 's application was accepted and as from the 1 st October 2000, this section started operating as THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORT (MALTA). This gave us the opportunity to administer the local Institute as CIT and not as branch of ILT United Kingdom.

Following the setting up, if not the resurrection of the Institute in Malta , the Local Section committee members set off to consolidate what had been previously achieved as well as to plan the future of the local section. In view of this, the members were called to attend meetings during which, brain storming sessions where held so as to determine the needs in all sectors of local transport.

With the aim to keep in touch with the constant progress and changes in the international field of transport, committee members have represented the local section at International Conferences of the Institute.

The committee also embarked on compiling an agenda through which we could enhance our membership as well as create an awareness of our presence.

The big occasion arrived with the organization of the first conference on the 20 th October 2000, under the banner ‘STEERING FOR TROUBLE'. This subject was chosen due to the fact that this, being the largest sector, can also be considered as the most detrimental to the environment. Local and foreign speakers were invited to deliver speeches pertaining to different areas of land transport. Among the subjects tackled, one could find the environment, traffic enforcement and management, traffic planning as well as the problems faced by persons with special needs.

In May 2001, the Institute held the second conference, this time relating to Maritime Transport. “WHERE IS MARITIME MALTA HEADING”. Once again a number of speakers, this time from the local field of professionals, were invited to deliver speeches on Maritime Law, Maritime History, Maritime Education, Malta Maritime Authority and it's Subsidiaries, as well as the new Cruise Liners' Terminal project.

The following December the Institute organized another conference, this time relating to air transport under the banner of “THE AIR TRANSPORT INDUSTRY”.

Further to all these initiatives, the local section has succeeded, following intensive negotiations with the Institute (U.K.) to normalize the recruitment and joining qualification procedures for local prospective students.

It was with this objective in mind that Captain Harry Dillon set off on another task. This time to revive the FOUNDATION FOR TRANSPORT STUDIES.

This initiative, also dormant for a number of years, has now been given a new breath of air and through the efforts of the representatives of the founder members, it is now functioning again and today's launching of the Transport Study Courses is proof enough.