Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) is preparing to initiate cargo operations at Thilafushi this October as part of an effort to ease severe congestion at the Malé Commercial Harbour ahead of the upcoming tourism high season and Ramadan early next year.
The move serves as an early operational phase in the government’s broader plan to relocate the main commercial port to Thilafushi, expanding the nation’s long-term maritime capacity.
Speaking on PSM News’ Raajje Miadhu programme, MPL CEO Captain Hussain Shafeeq highlighted the critical capacity constraints at the current harbour. He noted that it currently takes around eight days to discharge a single vessel in Malé due to its limited 100-metre quay, which allows only one ship to berth at a time.
This bottleneck becomes particularly severe during the final months of the year when import volumes spike to support seasonal tourism and holiday prep.
“Once we get this operation running at Thilafushi, the operations we carry out from Malé will also run at Thilafushi,” Capt. Shafeeq explained, noting that the expansion is aimed directly at managing the upcoming seasonal demand.
Interim 100-Metre Quay Ready by October
The quay being prepared at Thilafushi is also 100 metres long and is being constructed by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). Although designed long-term as a service quay for tugs and barges, MPL will temporarily utilize the berth for direct cargo loading and unloading.
Most construction on the quay is complete, with paving currently underway, and the facility is expected to be operational by late September or early October. In addition to handling general cargo, the site will accommodate dhonis carrying less-than-container-load (LCL) shipments. MPL reports that the company is currently finalizing staff housing, catering, and on-site operational infrastructure.
Long-Term Port Expansion Plans
The October launch of cargo operations at Thilafushi represents a temporary stopgap while construction continues on the full-scale Thilafushi Port project.
Once fully realized, the new commercial hub will boast a 1,400-metre international quay and a 2,300-metre domestic quay, alongside high-capacity harbour cranes to drastically reduce turnaround times.
The government has set a target to complete the Thilafushi Port development project by November 2027.
