Managing Director of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), Adam Azim has said that that after five months, the company’s largest dredging vessel “Mahajarraaf” will be manned by an all Maldivian crew.

Speaking at a National Federation of Maldivian Employers (NFME) webinar, Azim said that the dredging vessel is very costly and taking on a crew of only locals is going to save MVR 7.5 to 8 million annually.

He said that Mahajarraaf is the biggest asset of the company that was acquired to the company in 2017 after spending USD 36 million.

Azim said that from the efforts to find the technical crew for the vessel has taught the company that technically proficient locals are in the country and so 19 more locals will be taken on as crew to the vessel.

The Managing Director of MTCC said that 50 percent of their staff are foreigners but that number has to be reduced by hiring locals event though its more expensive since the goal of a big profit for the company is to bring joy and wealth to the public.