Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) cleared 178,197 freight tonnes of cargo during September, reflecting the continued high level of commercial activity handled through Malé Commercial Harbour and the importance of the country’s maritime logistics network in supporting the movement of essential goods and other imports.
Statistics released by MPL show that significant volumes of cargo were handled from both container ships and general cargo vessels during the month. A total of 5,673 consignments were cleared from container ships, while a further 1,667 consignments were processed from general cargo vessels.
During September, 14 container ships and 26 general cargo vessels arrived at Malé Commercial Harbour. Three container ships and six general cargo vessels also departed from the harbour during the same period, demonstrating the steady flow of maritime traffic through the country’s principal commercial port.
Container handling remained particularly strong, with 7,139 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) unloaded and 7,386 loaded TEUs recorded during the month. Overall container throughput reached 14,525 TEUs, highlighting the scale of logistics operations managed by MPL as the Maldives continues to meet growing demand for imported goods and commercial supplies.
Essential food imports accounted for a notable share of the cargo cleared during September. MPL handled 77,595 cases of eggs, making eggs the largest essential food item by recorded volume during the month. This was followed by 41,122 sacks of onions, 39,582 cases of bananas, 23,610 sacks of potatoes and 17,102 cases of tomatoes. The figures underline the critical role played by the national port infrastructure in maintaining a reliable supply chain for essential food products across the Maldives.
The strong September performance comes as the Government continues to accelerate preparations for the relocation of the Maldives’ main commercial port to Thilafushi. The new port is scheduled to be officially opened and commence operations on 11 November 2027.
The Thilafushi port development is expected to significantly strengthen the Maldives’ cargo-handling capacity by providing expanded infrastructure and improved facilities for containerised and general cargo operations. The relocation is also expected to improve vessel turnaround times, cargo clearance processes and overall operational efficiency, while creating greater capacity to accommodate the country’s future trade and logistics requirements.
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