More than 2,500 containers of goods bound for the Maldives are expected to be brought into the country next week, as authorities seek to ease delays caused by congestion and changes in cargo schedules.
Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed said the containers, currently stranded in Sri Lanka, are expected to arrive in the Maldives on three vessels. He was speaking at a media briefing held yesterday at the President’s Office by the committee formed to assess and manage potential issues arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Citing information from Maldives Ports Limited, Minister Saeed said the expected arrivals would help ease some of the difficulties caused by delayed cargo deliveries. He said that while Maldives-bound goods unloaded at Sri Lankan ports are sometimes fully cleared, backlogs can build up again due to changes in cargo vessel schedules.
The delays reflect the Maldives’ continued dependence on transshipment through Sri Lanka for larger cargo movements. Goods bound for the Maldives are often unloaded at Sri Lankan ports before being transferred to smaller vessels that can dock at Malé Commercial Harbour, which does not have the capacity to accommodate large cargo ships.
This means the flow of imported goods into the Maldives remains closely tied to the operational speed of Sri Lankan ports, as well as the availability and scheduling of feeder vessels to Malé.
Minister Saeed said Maldives Ports Limited is also working on measures to speed up the movement and clearance of goods from the port. He noted that the current congestion was linked to several factors rather than a single issue.
The government has said the relocation of the commercial port to Thilafushi is intended to address such capacity constraints over the longer term. Survey work for the project has been awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company.
