President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said the new Malé Commercial Port will help reduce the cost of imported goods by improving efficiency through full digitalisation and automation, with cargo clearance times expected to fall from seven days to just two once the facility becomes operational.
Providing an update on the redevelopment and relocation of the country’s main commercial port, the President said the project is progressing according to schedule and that significant progress has already been made in shifting operations to Thilafushi.
He said the decision to fully digitalise and automate all port operations is aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing processing times, which will lower operational costs for businesses and ultimately benefit consumers through lower prices on imported goods.
The President also revealed that around 80 percent of the existing Malé Commercial Port’s operations will be relocated to Thilafushi, while the remaining services will be integrated with the T-Jetty area in Malé’s Industrial Village.
According to the President, the relocation has been planned to ensure uninterrupted port operations even before the completion of the Thilamalé Bridge.
To support the business community, private enterprises will be given opportunities to establish shops within the port operation areas in both Thilafushi and the Malé Industrial Village. The government will also offer incentives aimed at addressing longstanding challenges, including limited operational space and inadequate storage facilities for imported goods.
The relocation of the Malé Commercial Port to Thilafushi is one of the government’s major infrastructure projects to expand the country’s logistics capacity. The existing commercial port in Malé has faced increasing congestion and space limitations as import volumes have grown over the years. Once completed, the new port is expected to provide significantly larger cargo handling capacity and modern infrastructure to support the Maldives’ growing trade and economic development.
