Residents around the Sliema and Gżira Ferries are once again raising concerns about disturbances linked to groups using the party boats operating from the area.
A resident recently shared footage showing what appears to be a scuffle near the Supreme Cruises vessel, while another video reportedly showed a group of young people from a Fernandez boat surrounded by police. The exact circumstances of the second incident are unclear, but the resident says it took quite some time for the situation to calm down.
Whatever happened in these particular incidents, the wider problem is becoming difficult to ignore.
Residents should not have to regularly deal with shouting, disorder, arguments and police interventions connected to party-boat crowds.
There is also another concern: police resources.
When officers are repeatedly required to deal with disturbances linked to party boats, that takes time and manpower away from other problems in Sliema, Gżira and nearby areas where residents are also asking for more visible enforcement.
That is not particularly fair on residents, and it is not a sensible use of limited police resources if the same type of problems keep happening.
Party-boat operators should also be expected to take responsibility for the behaviour connected to their operations, including how passengers are managed before boarding and after returning to shore.
Tourism and entertainment are important, but they should not come at the expense of residents or require repeated police intervention.
If certain operators are regularly associated with disorder around the Ferries, perhaps it is time to consider stronger conditions, better crowd management and greater accountability for the companies involved.