Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has announced that 21 hectares of land have been reclaimed so far under the Dhidhdhoo Airport land reclamation project.

MACL said the work represents about 18 percent of the total reclamation planned for Dhidhdhoo. The project is expected to support airport development as well as provide land for housing and community services.

Land reclamation for the project began on January 6 using the dredger Leiv Eiriksson, one of the world’s largest trailing suction hopper dredgers. The dredger is capable of reclaiming up to 46,000 cubic meters of material at a time and is among the most powerful of its kind globally.

Under the project, MACL plans to reclaim a total of 111 hectares of land for the development of Dhidhdhoo.