Minister of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam has stated the government will complete a large part of the Integrated National Public Ferry Network next year.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister Aslam said decentralisation can only be fully implemented with the establishment of an adequate public transport system in the country. The minister said the ferry network will make it easier for citizens to travel from one island to another and that the ferries are designed to be fast and convenient for passengers, especially for people with disabilities.
He said the government aims to complete a large part of the work next year and connect all inhabited islands to the ferry network by the end of 2023. He added that high-speed ferry services will begin in Haa Alifu Atoll, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, and Shaviyani Atoll in February and in some northern and southern atolls later that year.
The National Public Ferry Network aims to establish a convenient and efficient transport system to all administrative islands of the Maldives.
The government contracted Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) to establish the ferry services, which will be available in six zones, as identified in the National Spatial Plan. The services will first be established in Zone 1, which consists of all the 40 inhabited islands in Haa Alifu Atoll, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, and Shaviyani Atoll.
Gulf Craft Maldives is contracted to manufacture 17 ferries for Zone 1 under the National Spatial Plan. MTCC recently conducted test trials of the first vessel of the ferry network and is currently establishing ferry terminals and stops in Zone 1.
Furthermore, the government has allocated USD 2 million for access improvement for the ferry network in next year's proposed state budget.