MTCC contracts Al-Shaali to build 65 speedboats needed for RTL ferry service

Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has contracted Al-Shaali Marine Maldives Private Limited to manufacture and supply 65 speedboats required for the implementation of phase two and phase three of Raajje Transport Link (RTL) ferry service.

The agreement pertaining to the work was signed at a special ceremony held on Thursday. MTCC’s CEO Adam Azim signed the company on behalf of the company, whilst Al-Shaali was represented by the company’s Chairman Abdulla Hussain Mohammed Al-Shaali.

Under the agreement, Al-Shaali, a leading international manufacturer of speed ferries, will manufacture and supply 65 speedboats to MTCC. The project was contracted to Al-Shaali for MVR 537 million to be completed in a two-year time frame.

Speaking at the ceremony, MTCC’s CEO Azim said that the RTL project will be the most beneficial to the people from the projects carried out in the Maldives so far. He also expressed gratitude for the cooperation rendered by different government bodies in the implementation of the project.

Azim noted that although the project is contracted to be completed within two years – as speedboats required to commence services at specific regions are completed, they will be brought into operation respectively.

He also noted that the new speedboats under the Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the RTL ferry service will be larger than the speedboats currently in use, able to accommodate 50 people.

RTL ferry service is provided under the government’s ‘Integrated National Public Ferry Network’ which aims to connect the Maldivian islands through a high-speed ferry network. This is an electoral pledge of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

At present, MTCC has commenced ferry services at Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu and Shaviyani Atolls under the first phase of the project.