The Hithadhoo Regional Port is poised to become the economic backbone of the south, with ongoing expansion expected to transform the facility into a primary hub for traders, Mohamed Rishwan, Chief Executive Officer of Maldives Ports Limited, said. He made the remarks at a ceremony where an agreement was signed to establish three new services at the port.
Rishwan stressed that both Hithadhoo and Kulhudhuffushi Regional Ports are central to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s plan to relocate the nation’s principal commercial port, the Malé Commercial Harbour, to Thilafushi. He pointed to the Duty-Free Bonded Zone, launched during the event, as a catalyst for this transition and a decisive step toward establishing Hithadhoo as the southern economic hub.
In his address, Rishwan underscored the urgency of strengthening logistical capacity across the port system. “As this work proceeds in other countries, we are tasked with establishing a robust maritime transport system,” he said. “The most critical aspect is the efficient redistribution of cargo arriving at the Malé Commercial Harbour to the northern and southern regions.”
He also highlighted collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare to establish cold storage facilities nationwide. “These initiatives will reduce the cost of cargo transported to the atolls, thereby benefiting the people of the entire region,” he added.
Rishwan detailed enhanced services recently introduced at commercial ports, confirming that the first phase of relocating the Malé harbour to Thilafushi has begun. The move, he said, is intended to ease chronic space constraints in Malé, Hulhumalé, and the T-Jetty. Logistics services have already commenced, which he characterised as vital steps toward seamlessly interconnecting the Maldives’ trade networks.
Looking ahead, Rishwan announced a target completion date of November 2027 for these projects, predicting that the milestone would fundamentally transform the nation’s port system. The three new services at Hithadhoo Commercial Port were formally inaugurated by Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed, fulfilling a campaign pledge made by President Muizzu.
The planned facilities include a duty-free zone for food and essential goods, a bonded warehouse service, and a bulk cargo facility. Maldives Ports Limited has indicated that the establishment of these services is expected to drive significant economic growth, benefiting not only Hithadhoo but the southern atolls as a whole.