Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) is set to welcome the latest addition to the fleet, the ‘Jazeera 106.’ The vessel departed from Thailand to the Maldives on November 4th, with an expected arrival date of November 19th. This marks the first of three boats MIFCO plans to include in its fleet, with ‘Jazeera 104’ and ‘Jazeera 105’ slated to join before the year’s end.
The Jazeera series of fishing boats boasts the capacity to freeze 60 tonnes of brine and store 200 tonnes of fish. With the incorporation of these three vessels into MIFCO’s fleet, the company’s fish purchasing capacity is set to increase by an additional 180 tonnes.
This strategic move by MIFCO is aimed at addressing the challenges faced by fishermen during peak fishing seasons and facilitating access to vital fishing areas. In total, MIFCO has acquired four boats in the current year, with ‘Jazeera 103’ being the first to join the fleet in March. Jazeera 103 is currently operational in the southern regions of the Maldives and can freeze 120 metric tonnes of fish, offering a remarkable storage capacity of 420 metric tonnes.
Over the past five years, MIFCO has steadily expanded its fleet, which now includes a carrier boat. These efforts align with MIFCO’s overarching goal of enhancing its purchasing capacity at Kooddoo. There are plans in progress to achieve a freezing capacity of 120 tonnes per shift and the ongoing construction of the new Thinadhoo Fisheries Complex.
The acquisition of these three fishing boats is expected to mitigate the challenges local fishermen face during the fishing season, ultimately leading to an improved fishing industry throughout the Maldives.
