Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has announced, around 95% of the work on the development of the new seaplane terminal of Velana International Airport has been finished.
Undertaken by the Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG), a dock for seaplanes will also be constructed under the development project.
According to MACL, around 80 percent of the docks under phase 1 is now completed. Currently, the connection of fuel lines to the docks are underway.
90 percent of the interior work of the terminal was now completed, says MACL.
In a news conference, MACL Managing Director Moosa Solih previously said, the docks at the seaplane terminal had a 50-year guarantee and was built using recent technological methods. It can accommodate up to 55 planes simultaneously. While the dock area could still be increased, it could potentially accommodate 100 planes in total.
The management of the seaplane terminal was arguably one of the major topics being discussed. Rumors had it, that the terminal would be awarded to TMA, the world’s biggest seaplane operator, had led to an inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Commission and even the Parliament.
The terminal works were commenced on January 29, 2019. MACL stated earlier that the terminal could be in use by as soon as May 2020, however, it has been delayed due to numerous reasons.
