Ministry: Thilafushi port will remain under gov control; no favoritism in award process

The development, ownership and operation of the new international port under development in K. Thilafusi will remain under the control of the Maldivian government, says the Economic Ministry.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Economic Ministry said it was aware of recent media reports suggesting that the government had favored one foreign partner over another in the development of the new port.

The statement comes after former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom recently claimed the port was being handed over to an Indian company.

In Wednesday’s statement, the Economic Ministry said the project was awarded through the government’s established processes for infrastructure of this nature, in accordance with Maldivian law.

“The decision was guided solely by the long-term development priorities of the Maldives and does not reflect any judgement upon, or change in standing towards, any partner of the Maldives,” stated the ministry.

The ministry added that the sovereignty of the Maldives is not open to compromise, and no partner, past or present, holds any claim over Maldivian infrastructure decisions beyond what the law and the national interest permit.

“The development, ownership and operation of the port will remain under the control of the Government of the Maldives,” said the ministry.

Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed said the Thilafushi port serves the Maldivian people and the nation's long-term prosperity.

“It was awarded through the Government's established processes, and it should not be read as a statement about any of our partners, each of whom the Maldives continues to value,” he added.

The ministry added that the government’s Maldives-First foreign policy remains “one of constructive engagement with all international partners, guided always by the sovereignty and national interest of the Maldives.”

Once operational, the Thilafushi port is expected to significantly ease the congestion currently faced at Male’ Commercial Harbor by shifting major cargo and container operations there.

The project, valued at around USD 250 million (approximately MVR 3.4 billion), is being carried out in two phases. Work under the first phase, which focuses on the construction of the International Logistics Terminal, was awarded to China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) in February.

According to Maldives Ports Limited, the port, being developed over 20 hectors of land, will have the capacity to handle 300,000 TEUs on an annual basis – more than double the 135,000 TEUs the Male’ Commercial Harbor handled last year.

MPL aims to complete the relocation of Male’ Commercial Harbor to Thilafushi by November 11 next year.