Efforts are already underway to upgrade the North Harbour in the capital Male’ to offer easier access to services, Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has said.
The North Harbor is one of the busiest areas in the capital with dozens of vessels using the harbour to load and unload cargo on a daily basis, prompting MPL to initiate efforts to upgrade the harbour to offer easier access to services.
Speaking on PSM News' ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, MPL Manager of Business Development Mohamed Aimon Ali said the company is working to establish easy access to services for the public and businesses including water and fuel supply along with the development of additional storage facilities in the North Harbour.
Aimon said the company had to devise a development plan without disrupting services and the commercial activity around the heavily congested area around the North Harbour.
According to Aimon, MPL is relocating some of the services being provided by North Harbor to the industrial island Thilafushi, which is designed to address the space constraints in the North Harbour.
"Some of the cargo is destined directly to islands. But even such cargo are being brought to the North Harbour before being loaded onto the designated vessel. So if such vessels are relocated to Thilafushi we can significantly reduce the vessel movements in the North Harbour,” he explained.
Aimon also said MPL is working to establish designated zones to unload cargo aimed at improving traffic flow around the North Harbour.
MPL has been tasked with the operation of the habour on the northern side of Male’ stretching from the MPL area to the intersection of the local market in front of the fish market. The area was officially handed over to MPL under an agreement between the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation on 4 July.