Singaporean company contracted to design masterplan for Gulhifalhu port

A Singaporean company has been contracted to design the masterplan to develop a commercial port in K. Gulhifalhu and relocate the Male’ commercial port to Gulhifalhu.

Planning Ministry has announced HQ Company was contracted the work for USD 650,000 (MVR 10,010,000) in a ceremony held at the Maldivian embassy headquarters in Singapore last Wednesday.

The company is required to complete the masterplan within eight months.

Once the Gulhifalhu port is complete, all imports will be loaded and unloaded at the new port – effectively easing the congestion at the commercial port in the capital.

The government’s greater plan for the Male’ area also includes linking Male’, Vilimale’, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi via causeways – in a move designed to further ease the flow of cargo and boost the economy.

“The masterplan will save Male’ from the congestion linked with loading and unloading imports, relocate facilities such as warehouses to Gulhifalhu, and increase pleasing vacant spaces in Male’,” said the Planning Ministry.

The government recently contracted a joint-venture between a Dutch consultancy company – Maritime and Transport Business Solutions (MTBS) - and a Denmark consultancy company – NIRAS with the consultancy work on the port project.