If you’ve ever set foot in Malta, then chances are you’ve boarded a Gozo Channel ferry at least a handful of times.

Whilst we’ve all grown to associate the Gozo Channel with the MV ta’ Pinu, MV Gaudos, and MV Melita ferries, these haven’t always been around.

Before these three ferries were introduced in the early 2000s, locals commuted to and from the sister islands on very different vessels.

From the 1940s to the 1950s, the Gozo Channel fleet consisted of four ferries, all of which can be seen in a newly unearthed picture uploaded by a certain Mario Grech.

The four ferries were named MV Citadella (furthest back), built in the Netherlands in 1949, MV Xlendi (closest to the front), built in Denmark in 1955, MV Mgarr (in the middle), built in Denmark in 1966, and MV Ghawdex (in the middle), built in Bremen, Germany in 1962.

“This brings back memories of when I worked on these ferries in the 1980s,” Mario wrote on social media.

“I worked on all of those ships. Since they were all different, it was a real challenge to manoeuvre them in the small Mgarr Harbour,” one commenter added.

Do you remember these ferries?