maritime Archives - Asteria Advisory

Launching Asteria Advisory

Asteria Advisory is pleased to announce its official launch as a boutique legal practice. Areas of specialisation include marine and aviation law, as well as tailored commercial legal services. With a commitment to Building Bridges, Asteria Advisory connects clients with the legal solutions, industry professionals, and opportunities necessary for success.

Asteria Advisory was formerly operated as a corporate services provider under the name of Asteria Management Limited, which is no longer in existence.

The firm is managed by Dr Geraldine Spiteri, founder, who is also a Malta-warranted advocate of 20 years’ standing.

Legal Solutions That Move Your Business Forward

With a strong focus on the maritime and aviation law sectors, Asteria Advisory provides expert legal guidance in ship, yacht and aircraft registration, asset management, regulatory compliance, and business setup. Whether working with shipowners, operators, investors, or aviation professionals, or helping the yacht or jet owner to manage the needs of these highly specialised assets, we ensure a seamless and efficient approach to navigating complex legal and regulatory frameworks.

We also provide general legal, advisory and consultancy services to businesses.

📅 Official launch: March 28, 2025—a strategic date chosen to mark a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

On this day Dr Geraldine Spiteri will also attend and moderate the Mediterranean Business Aviation conference in Malta.

Clients and industry professionals are invited to connect and explore how Asteria Advisory can provide expert guidance in the marine and aviation sectors.

🔹 For inquiries: Speak to Dr Geraldine Spiteri – gs@asteria.mt – or use our Contact form.

🔹 For Updates: We will continue to update our news feed with posts of interest.

A – Asteria;s Logo

The Women-In-Maritime Initiative

A few years ago, I gave a speech in an IMO International Maritime Institute (IMLI) discussion on women in the maritime industry. The IMLI Board of Studies had given me a scholarship to read my masters in 2006 (completion in 2007) so this seemed a good opportunity to give something back.

Today, I attended a similar-themed breakfast, She Leads the Seas. MaritimeMT, in Malta, organised this event as part of the MARMED project.

This get-together focused on the opportunities for women in the shipping industry.

MARMED

The MARMED project is a part of ERASMUS+. It aims to bridge the gap between the existing needs and the current skillset of Maritime Clusters Managers.

MARMED aims to look at upskilling of members of the industry. Other aims include:

Outlining an innovative professional profile for increased competitiveness of Maritime Clusters in the Mediterranean area; and
Overall, boosting innovation and sustainable growth in the Blue Economy sector.

THE EVENT

This in-person seminar included:

an outline of the project,
a discussion on the role of women in the maritime industry; and
a good overview of available opportunities.

Women are still widely under-represented in the maritime industry. Only 22% of the industry workers are female. There are many actions that the industry can take to change this balance.

The audience included IMLI students, various professionals and lecturers from the industry and officials from the Flag, Transport Malta.

Participants of the meeting also touched upon Women in Transport – EU Platform for change. The objective of this Platform, launched on 27 November 2017, is to strengthen women’s employment and equal opportunities for women and men in the transport sector through the actions brought about by the Platform members. It will also serve as a forum to discuss and exchange good practices.

REMEMBERING – INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR WOMEN IN SHIPPING

The IMO Resolution A.1170(32) of 09 December 2021, established the 18th May as the IMO International Day for Women in Maritime.

Malta Maritime Summit

Originally published in 2016 during the first time I attended the Malta Maritime Summit. These reflections remain relevant today as Malta continues to position itself at the forefront of maritime innovation and regulation.

I was invited to speak about seafarers and yachting at the biennial conference, the Malta Maritime Summit, 2022.

This is the forum where players in the maritime industry can bring matters of importance to the attention of the authorities and propose a way forward.

It is the third time that this biennial event is being organised. It is being held in the first week of October 2022. I was only invited last week, during the Monaco Yacht Show. It was a really nice surprise and the referral came through a dear colleague and friend.

Themed “The Voice of the Industry”, this event will host prominent and influential maritime stakeholders who will be debating maritime concerns and challenges facing the various sectors including the post-COVID reality, technology, environment and finance.

These discussions include, in particular, the training needs of seafarers and of the yachting industry. The work of seafarers in yachting has come under the spotlight during recent times: many professionals do not believe that the current training formats are sufficiently set up to cater for the very specialised world that is yachting. Those working onboard yachts are set for an entirely different experience from seafarers in shipping. We shall see why – and explore solutions – during the panel session in which I am involved.

I have been training seafarers since late 2009, but most of my trainees have been geared towards the shipping world. In yachting, there is an entirely different set of needs – both in terms of formal training as well as the human side of skills.

The subject I shall be speaking on refers to the changing training needs of seafarers, particularly in the yachting industry. The industry also has its needs: the yacht owner needs to be assured of the training of the crew he employs onboard this very expensive asset. Lives are still at stake and it is important to ensure that crew are properly trained up for the job.

The Malta Maritime Summit will include a discussion panel on exactly this topic.

Since 2016, the Malta Maritime Summit has evolved into a key forum for dialogue on international shipping, policy, and sustainability. Asteria Advisory remains committed to supporting maritime businesses navigating this dynamic sector. Check out our ship & yacht registration or our management & representation services.

Operation Pedestal – 80th Anniversary Celebrations

Operation Pedestal 1942 is an historic – and heroic – World War II Allied operation, commemorated yearly in Malta. Therefore, veterans come together to remember the bravery of all those merchant seafarers, and naval and other military and civilian personnel who successfully delivered much-needed supplies to the tiny island of Malta.

Dr Geraldine Spiteri holds a wreath on behalf of the Nautical Institute

Santa Maria Convoy

In Malta, the operation is known as Il-Konvoj ta’ Santa Maria (Santa Maria Convoy). This is because it coincides with the feast of the Blessed Virgin, on the 15th of August.

The Italians, who at that time were part of the Axis forces, refer to Operation Pedestal as the “Mid-August Battle” (Battaglia di Mezz’Agosto).

The most crucial cargo during Operation Pedestal was fuel. The fuel was onboard the SS Ohio, an American tanker, manned by a British crew.

The convoy sailed from Britain on the 3 August 1942 and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean on the night of 9/10 August. The Axis forces pursued the convoy, causing tremendous losses to the Allied fleet with an estimated loss of over 500 seamen.

The convoy suffered many losses and only five of fourteen merchant ships that originally set sail on the convoy actually reached Malta.

A patrol boat of the Armed Forces of Malta Maritime Squadron sits at berth in preparation for Operation Pedestal

Operation Pedestal Reaches Malta

Despite being costly for the Allies, Operation Pedestal was a great victory, specifically because of Malta’s strategic location in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

The victory allowed the Allied forces to eventually take control of North Africa and prepare for the invasion of Sicily.

Every year, the Royal Navy Association (Malta GC Branch) holds a commemorative service to remember this landmark event.

The celebrations involve the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), the Royal Navy Officers’ Association (Malta), Representatives from the British High Commission in Malta and other dignitaries.

Celebrating 80 Years

During the 80th Anniversary celebrations, the President of Malta made a formal address for the occasion. Later, the the Chancellor of the Anglican Church in Malta and a representative Chaplain of the Catholic Church in Malta offered prayers.

A wreath-laying ceremony ensued, during which dignitaries laid wreaths at sea from the bow of the P23, a patrol vessel of the Maritime Squadron of the AFM.

Members of the Armed Forces of Malta played the bagpipes and fired a gun salute as a sign of respect to the fallen. Members of the Royal Navy Officers Association (Malta) and the RNA Malta (GC Branch) carried their Association flags and wore their medals, while the family members of the last surviving crew member of the SS Ohio also attended.

Dr Geraldine Spiteri throws a wreath into the Grand Harbour during Operation Pedestal

The Nautical Institute (Malta Branch)

The Nautical Institute (Malta Branch), represented by the Branch Chairperson, Dr Geraldine Spiteri, was present at this ceremony celebrated on the 11 th of August.

The event was held at Pinto 3 Terminal, at the Valletta Grand Harbour Waterfront. This year, alongside the 80th Anniversary of Operation Pedestal, the Nautical Institute celebrates its 50th Anniversary.