 Rations of meat, fats and sugar were cut further and on 5 May, the bread ration was cut to per day, enough to last until late July; pasta rations had already been stopped and there had been a poor winter potato harvest.Three destroyers, three submarines, three minesweepers, five tugs, a water carrier and a floating crane were sunk in port and more ships damaged.The island continued to function as a staging post but the Axis bombing campaign neutralised Malta as an offensive base.