President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said the new port in Thilafushi will be four times larger than Malé Commercial Harbour in both size and capacity once the relocation project is completed.

Speaking to the media during a visit to Thilafushi to review the project’s progress, President Dr Muizzu described the port relocation as a key Government priority. He said the existing harbour in Malé could no longer meet the needs of the country’s growing economy, making the development of a larger, modern port necessary. The project also includes works at the South West Harbour.

The President said the first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed and opened on 11 November next year. He said the new port would create greater opportunities for trade and contribute to economic growth.

The 60-hectare port is expected to have an initial annual handling capacity of 390,000 TEUs, increasing to 1.8 million TEUs upon full completion. It will feature a 375-metre quay wall, with a depth of 14.6 metres, to accommodate international container vessels. The quay wall can be extended to 1.4 kilometres, while a separate quay wall of more than two kilometres will serve domestic vessels.

The first 100 metres of the inner harbour’s quay wall have been completed, while land levelling, road construction and backfilling continue. Around 40 per cent of the inner harbour backfilling has been completed. Production of precast concrete blocks and procurement of machinery and equipment are also under way, alongside the selection of a contractor for the terminal buildings.

The new port is expected to reduce the turnaround time for international container vessels to around two days, compared with the current seven to 14 days at Malé Commercial Harbour. It will initially be equipped with two ship-to-shore cranes and one mobile harbour crane.

President Dr Muizzu thanked the Government agencies, companies and employees involved in the project, expressing satisfaction with the progress made through their efforts and cooperation with external partners.