The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has announced that the majority of the work on the harbour development project in Hulhumeedhoo, which is part of the efforts to expand the Addu Fisheries Complex (AFC) managed by Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO), has been completed.
Regional Manager of AFC Ahmed Shahid stated the export jetty at AFC is designed to accommodate large boats. However, the construction of the jetty has been delayed due to the unexcavated access road to the jetty.
Current work includes paving, installing lights, and establishing a freezing container basement. Once these tasks are finished, the Maldives State Shipping (MSS) vessel will be able to enter the jetty, load the container, and export fish, facilitating easy loading and unloading.
Moreover, Deputy Manager of AFC Operations Ali Shiyaz explained the site serves as a center for purchasing fish from fishermen, cooling it, and then exporting it. The completion of the jetty will significantly improve operations, allowing direct export of fish from the jetty.
MTCC reported that 85% of the project is complete. Although dredging operations were suspended for a month, the suspension was lifted in mid-June last year, and the company's dredger has been moved to the site.
The MIFCO harbour development project was awarded to MTCC in 2020 under the government's Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). The first phase includes reclaiming 1,788 cubic meters of land from Hulhumeedhoo, dredging 471,380 cubic meters from the harbour, and constructing a 97-meter quay wall. The project is being carried out at a cost of USD 4.4 million.