News Desk
MALE’, — The government plans to transfer roughly 80 per cent of the capital’s commercial port operations to the nearby island of Thilafushi by late next year, moving cargo handling away from Malé.
Speaking on the state broadcaster PSM News, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said the new facilities are scheduled to go live on 11 November 2025. While heavy freight and major shipping logistics will shift to Thilafushi, remaining administrative and support operations will be stationed at Malé’s Industrial Village, near the touchdown point of the under-construction Thilamalé Bridge.
The current commercial port in central Malé will cease maritime logistics operations entirely once the transfer is complete.
According to government plans, the Thilafushi facility will offer ten times the land area of the current site, with quay walls three times longer than those in Malé. The project is being carried out in partnership with China Harbour Engineering Company and the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
“This is about driving the national economy to its next stage,” President Muizzu said, adding that automated handling systems and digitised customs processing are expected to cut clearance times and lower import costs.
To prevent supply chain bottlenecks before the bridge between Malé and Thilafushi is completed, the port will initially rely on Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry services to transport vehicles and cargo containers between the two islands. Space will also be leased to private businesses in both Thilafushi and the Industrial Village to support local logistics firms.
