Land reclamation for designated harbor to dock large vessels to begin November

Land reclamation for the project to develop a designated harbor for mooring large vessels will begin in November, states President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

He made the comment during a meeting with executive committee members and senior officials of National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM) at the President’s Office on Tuesday afternoon.

Discussions at the meeting focused on the development and management of the boating industry in the Maldives.

The NBAM members conveyed to the President the challenges they face, such as the lack of a designated harbor for mooring large vessels such as liveaboard vessels, and the need for an internationally recognized crew development program in order to improve human resources in the boating industry.

Other issues raised by the members include difficulties in collateralizing sea vessels to secure loans, legislative issues that make operating international cruise lines in the Maldives inconvenient, and the need for a national resource management plan to make the Maldives' natural resources more accessible to all.

NBAM members also expressed concern about the lack of an office space.

Addressing their concerns, President Solih said that the lagoon next to the Dhiyanaru lagoon in K. Atoll had been allocated specifically for docking purposes, and that the necessary land reclamation would begin in November of this year.

He provided assurance his administration would consult with the relevant ministries and stakeholders to find mutually acceptable solutions to the issues raised in the meeting.

The NBAM was founded in 2007 and was formerly known as the Liveaboard Association of Maldives.