From now on, those who board the Gozo Channel will probably come across a police officer who will be on the ship, ensuring that all car passengers have switched off their engines during the journey.

During the summer heat, many passengers opt to stay in the Gozo Channel garage with their car engine switched on, underneath the AC. However, this can be extremely harmful and is a huge health hazard.

The police officer will be on board every day from 8am to 6pm.

By leaving car engines on, many passengers and crew members are exposed to unnecessary toxic fumes which is why Gozo Channel is now encouraging all passenger to stay in their lounge areas.

The garage has limited ventilation and therefore, so many cars switched on at the same time can be quite dangerous.

Passengers are also not allowed to stay in the garage even if the cars are switched off. This can be an extremely dangerous hazard if something were to go wrong during the trip.