European joint venture hired for consultancy on transshipment ports in Northern and Southern Maldives

A joint venture between Maritime and Transport Business Solutions (MTBS) of Netherlands and Niras of Denmark has been contracted to provide consultancy for the development of transshipment port facilities in Northern and Southern Maldives.

The USD 860,626 contract was signed by Economic Ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary and Director, Ahmed Migdad and MTBS’s Director – Commerce, Anthony van der Hoest this Thursday.

The joint venture has been contracted to conduct scoping, feasibility analysis, project compilation and provide transaction advisory.

According to the Economic Ministry, feasibility studies for the transshipment ports will be conducted in Ihavandhippolhu in Northern Maldives, and the areas between Laamu Atoll and Huvadhoo Atoll which lays closest to the Huvadhoo Sea in Southern Maldives.

The contract also covers a feasibility study to develop the Hithadhoo International Port to accommodate operation and maintenance of bunker vessels, based on which a plan will be developed to conduct the project.

Minister of State for Economic Development, Mohamed Iyad noted that Maldives is situated in an economically significant location, and provided assurance the transshipment ports will be developed in a manner which optimizes economic benefits to Maldives.

“Ships carrying more than 25 million containers of cargo move in Northern Maldives on an annual basis. And in Southern Maldives – ships move carrying over 5 million containers on an annual basis,” said Iyad.

He said that development of transshipment ports had been made years in the planning, and that the current government’s goal was to realize the plans and establish the transshipment ports based on the research conducted under the contract it signed this Thursday.

He said that the establishment of the transshipment ports would trigger a sustainable change in the Maldivian economy.

The project to develop transshipment ports in Northern and Southern Maldives is part of the current government’s efforts to develop areas in Maldives beyond the central, Male’ City area, and is expected to create employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, work is underway to relocate Male’ Commercial Port from Male’ City to Gulhifalhu. The consultancy work on the Gulhifalhu port project was contacted to the same joint venture – the joint venture between MTBS and Niras -  for USD 1,050,362 on August 18, and the work to develop the masterplan for the project was contracted to Singaporean company, HQ Company, for USD 650,000 on September 18.