The Maldives’ commercial maritime sector is poised for a pivotal shift with the planned relocation of the nation’s main commercial port.
The plan to move the commercial port to Thilafushi, which is recognized as the industrial capital of the Maldives, marks a return to the original plan outlined in 2013. The previous government had shifted the focus to Gulhifalhu, even commencing dredging near the end of its term. Boskalis of the Netherlands has been actively involved in dredging 192 hectares of land, a project aimed at facilitating the port relocation and providing housing for the Male populace.
The project, with an allocation of MVR 959.2 million in this year’s budget, encompasses the dredging of the Gulhifalhu and the development of the Maldives’ main seaport. This initiative is part of the government’s plan, which prioritizes the construction of the Greater Male Area’s transhipment port.
In his interview with PSM News, MPL’s CEO Mohamed Vajeeh Ibrahim emphasized the significance of the new commercial port in expanding MPL’s services. Thilafushi, already a hub for numerous MPL operations, is poised to become the new site for the international commercial port. This aligns with MPL’s vision of enhancing its service capabilities and addressing the congestion and space constraints of the existing port in the capital.
The new government has yet to unveil the full implementation details of the project. However, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, has indicated that these details will be announced shortly. The Economic Minister also acknowledged the critical role of Thilhafushi in developing the main commercial port.
As the government finalizes discussions on this project, MPL remains committed to relocating the commercial port to Thilafushi, stepping away from previous plans to develop it in Gulhifalhu.
