Chinese Firm to Build Key Wall for Thilafushi Port Project

As part of the project to relocate the Male’ Commercial Port to Thilafushi, the development of international and domestic quay walls has been officially awarded to a Chinese company.

The contract was signed yesterday with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) at the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) head office. CEO Captain Hussain Shafeeg signed on behalf of MPL, while Country Manager Mao Bao represented the Chinese firm.

The scope of the agreement includes the construction of a 375-meter international quay wall with a depth of 14.6 meters, specifically designed for international container vessels. Additionally, a 820-meter domestic quay wall with a depth of 5 meters will be developed to cater to local inter-island cargo vessels.

The primary objective of this project is to address long-standing challenges faced by businesses and to expand port facilities and service quality in alignment with the growth of the Maldives' maritime and logistics sectors. MPL highlighted that this infrastructure upgrade will streamline Thilafushi’s port operations, ensuring a faster and more efficient cargo handling system.

Earlier on June 1st, certain components of this project were assigned to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). Their scope includes the construction of a 100-meter domestic quay wall and the paving of a 3-hectare area.

Upon total completion, the Thilafushi Port will feature an international quay wall exceeding 1,000 meters and a domestic terminal with over 2,000 meters of quay wall, specifically for vessels currently utilizing the Male’ North and Southwest harbors. The government aims to complete the entire project by November 11th of next year.

The relocation of the Male’ Commercial Port to Thilafushi is a key presidential pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. Currently, the space constraints at the Male’ port result in significant delays in cargo discharging and clearance. MPL estimates that once the new port is operational, the current five-day clearance period will be reduced to just 48 hours. This sustainable infrastructure is designed to serve the nation's commercial needs for the next 30 years.