The modernisation and relocation of the Malé Commercial Harbour is progressing as one of the Maldives’ major trade infrastructure projects, with new quay walls, operational facilities and port equipment forming part of plans to strengthen cargo handling and improve the country’s commercial logistics network.
Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed said the harbour project is closely connected to the Maldives’ trade and economic development, highlighting the importance of modernising port infrastructure in line with the country’s present economic requirements. In a social media post, he said improving the harbour would help accelerate trade and make commercial activity easier.
Minister Saeed said authorities had considered transforming the country’s main commercial harbour for many years, while the facility in Malé had remained largely at the level at which it was originally established, apart from relatively limited improvements. He credited President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration with advancing practical work on the project while addressing wider economic challenges.
The Government has identified the relocation of commercial port operations from Malé to Thilafushi as a major national infrastructure priority. The President’s Office has stated that the wider relocation is targeted for completion by 11 November 2027, with the planned port expected to significantly expand cargo handling capacity and support more efficient vessel clearance and storage.
According to the latest project update provided by Maldives Ports Limited, Maldives Transport and Contracting Company Plc has completed work on a 100-metre quay wall, while paving of the yard is under way and is expected to be completed in early October. The area is being developed for domestic port operations, allowing vessel cargo clearance activities currently carried out at Malé Commercial Harbour to be transferred to Thilafushi once the required infrastructure is ready.
Temporary operational facilities are also being developed at Thilafushi, including a workshop, canteen, office, crew waiting area and mosque, providing the supporting infrastructure needed to begin cargo clearance operations from the new location.
China Harbour Engineering Company is carrying out construction of a 375-metre quay wall for the international port as well as part of the planned two-kilometre domestic quay wall. Forty per cent of the reclamation required for an additional 820-metre quay wall has been completed, while construction of precast quay wall units is expected to begin next month.
Under the current schedule, the domestic quay wall is expected to be completed by the end of November 2026, while the international quay wall is scheduled for completion in July 2027. The broader commercial port relocation remains targeted for November 2027.
MPL has also begun procurement of major equipment required for future port operations, including two ship-to-shore cranes and one mobile harbour crane, with the company aiming to bring the equipment to Malé before 15 October 2027. Work is also continuing to appoint contractors for additional infrastructure at Thilafushi.
The expanded port infrastructure is expected to strengthen the Maldives’ import and distribution network, with potential benefits extending to businesses, island communities and the tourism industry. Resorts across the archipelago depend heavily on efficient maritime supply chains for food, construction materials, equipment and operational supplies, making faster cargo handling and improved storage capacity increasingly important as the country’s tourism sector continues to expand.
The Government has said the completed Thilafushi port is intended to shorten vessel clearance times, expand storage options and improve the efficiency of importing goods, strengthening the logistical foundation supporting both domestic commerce and the Maldives’ internationally important resort economy.
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