The first port city in the Maldives is going to be built in the northernmost region. Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail revealed the news in a letter sent to parliament in response to queries regarding the transshipment port development project in Haa Alifu Atoll.
According to minister Fayyaz, the Port city consists of services, such as crew changing, bunkering, and supplying. The minister added that crew changing and bunkering will be the first services to be introduced and that State Trading Organisation (STO) is currently signing agreements with oil companies to start bunkering while obtaining investments.
The port city is part of the government’s efforts to provide services to vessels traveling and crossing the northernmost region until the transshipment port is developed. The letter states that the government is currently focusing on the development of the port city and working on reclaiming land for the project. Minister Fayyaz further noted in the letter that the ministry is amending relevant policies to commence the services.
Under a public-private partnership, the government is seeking parties to build an international transshipment port in the atoll. The port will be built to cater even to the largest ships in the world. As such the port will have a capacity of 1.8 million containers per year and an investment of USD466 million is required for the project.
