The relocation of Malé Commercial Port to the industrial island of Thilafushi has commenced, with arrangements now in place to facilitate the sea-based clearance of containers via direct delivery at the new site.
Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) stated that operations have begun at the 100-meter quay wall area developed by MTCC. The company identified this zone as the designated cargo terminal area for the Thilafushi Commercial Port development.
While sea-based container clearance via Direct Delivery (DR) has launched at Thilafushi, officials noted that food items and pharmaceuticals will continue to be cleared through DR services in Malé and Hulhumalé.
MPL highlighted that a significant portion of containers arriving at Malé Port are DR containers, which are currently cleared through the Hulhumalé terminal. The company expects that shifting these services to Thilafushi will alleviate congestion and streamline operations at the Hulhumalé terminal’s local quay wall.
The government awarded the first phase of the Thilafushi Port project to China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) in February 2026.
Under the initial phase, the Chinese firm was contracted to conduct the survey and design work for the port. Meanwhile, the construction of the port's quay wall has been entrusted to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
The decision to award the port project to a Chinese company has drawn concerns from the United States and India. However, the Maldivian government recently clarified that the contract was not awarded with the intention of favoring any specific nation.
