- Velana International Airport's total cargo throughput rose five percent year-on-year to 36,367 tonnes in H1 2026.
- Freighter operations surged 174 percent, handling 2,925 tonnes across 358 aircraft movements.
- MACL is expanding MLE's transshipment role, supported by its Sea-to-Air service and new European capacity.
Velana International Airport (MLE) recorded higher cargo volumes during the first half of 2026, as Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) seeks to expand the airport’s role as a regional transshipment gateway.
Total cargo throughput increased by five percent year-on-year to 36,367 tonnes during the period. Outbound transshipment cargo rose by 15 percent, while total transshipment volume reached 7,982 tonnes.
Freighter operations registered a sharper increase, with 2,925 tonnes handled across 358 aircraft movements. This represented growth of 174 percent compared with the first half of 2025.
The airport also handled 140 tonnes of outbound transshipment cargo on 12 July, its highest single-day volume on record.
China ranked as the second-largest source of inbound transshipment cargo during the first half of the year, behind Sri Lanka. The United States was the leading destination for outbound transshipment cargo, accounting for 1,618 tonnes.
Growth has also been supported by MLE’s Sea-to-Air transshipment service, which has handled more than 5,000 tonnes of cargo through 17 airline partners since its introduction in 2024. The service connects cargo from regional markets, including Colombo, Mumbai, Dhaka and Tuticorin, with destinations in Europe and North America through the Maldives.
MACL presented these developments at Air Cargo China 2026 in Shanghai, where it held discussions with airlines, freight forwarders, logistics operators and other industry representatives. The talks focused on attracting additional freighter capacity, developing partnerships in Asia and extending cargo connections to Europe, North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Additional airline capacity and the resumption of further European services are anticipated during the Winter 2026/27 season, potentially expanding the airport’s cargo network and transshipment operations.
