The new cargo terminal opened at the Velana International Airport (VIA) on Monday will be further expanded to increase storage capacity for goods brought into the country, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed has said.
The terminal opened yesterday has the capacity to handle 120,000 tons of cargo a year. The previous terminal used for more than 40 years could only handle 50,000 tons a year. Speaking at the new terminal opening ceremony, Saeed said the President’s vision was to further increase the terminal’s capacity.
“The President’s vision is to begin work immediately and increase the number to 300,000 tons. Paving the way for air cargo to come here is an effort that we need to undertake together,” Saeed said.
The cargo capacity needs to be increased in order to expand the terminal, the minister said. The government is working towards that now, Saeed said.
“The largest cargo economic zone in the region has now sent us some sort of an agreement, a roadmap on how they wish to go forward. I note that this is the largest cargo terminal in the region,” the minister said.
New cargo terminal. -- Photo: Abdulla Iyaan/ Adhadhu
Speaking at the ceremony, Ibrahim Shareef, CEO and managing director of the Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL), said the new cargo terminal was completed last year but could not be opened because the previous government did not make it a priority.
“Even though this building was technically finished in 2022, using it was not much of a priority and it got prolonged to 2023. Even after the place was officially handed over in 2023, it wasn’t operationalized for a while,” Shareef said. “Every day that passes after a facility such as this is established and no use is made of it is a day that the Maldivian people’s money is wasted without any benefit.”
VIA’s new cargo complex project was launched in 2018 during former President Abdulla Yameen’s government. In addition to the new cargo terminal, the VIA development mega project included a new runway and fuel farm. The runway is now operational and work on the fuel farm is nearing completion.
