The Maldives has shipped a total of 329 tonnes of cargo through its sea-to-air cargo service in December last year, with consignments delivered to 20 countries.
Sea-to-air cargo is a logistics service that allows goods transported by sea to be transited onward to global destinations by air. The service was launched on 15 May 2024 and is widely used in international trade, generating significant economic benefits in many countries.
In the Maldives, the service is jointly operated by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and Maldives Ports Limited (MPL). Sea-to-air cargo operations are currently connected to more than 17 international airlines.
According to statistics released by Maldives Ports Limited, cargo was shipped to 20 countries through 10 airlines in December alone. The total volume amounted to 329 tonnes, equivalent to 66 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, based on container measurements.
The airlines that transported cargo through the sea-to-air service in December included Virgin Atlantic, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Azerbaijan Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Swiss Airlines, ITA Airways and Emirates.
Officials said the sea-to-air cargo service continues to expand and has already generated millions of dollars for the national economy. With the Maldives served by a wide network of international airlines, authorities noted that there is significant potential to further expand the service and increase cargo volumes in the future.