Dutch dredging company Boskalis has been awarded a contract for the development of K. Gulhifalhu by the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure of the Maldives.
The contract, valued at approximately EUR 120 million, relates to the further development of the island of Gulhifalhu and the implementation of climate adaptive measures.
The development of Gulhifalhu is part of the Ministry’s strategic plan to improve and develop the port infrastructure and will serve as a solution to rising sea levels. Boskalis will be executing the second phase of the island’s expansion, which will include the deployment of a trailing suction hopper dredger to reclaim new land using approximately 18 million cubic meters of sand and rock revetment work for shoreline protection.
Boskalis has conducted a comprehensive environmental impact assessment to manage the impacts of the dredging and land reclamation activities, as well as implementing various measures to mitigate any adverse effects, including coral relocation and measures to limit the spreading of sediments in the water. Regular monitoring of water quality will also be conducted.
The company has a long history of successful climate-adaptive dredging and land reclamation projects in the Maldives, including reconstruction work on the islands of Vilufushi and Villingili, the initial development of Gulhifalhu in 2010 and 2012, and the successful execution of the first phase of the island’s expansion in 2019 and 2020.
