Internationally recognised shipping company Evergreen Line has launched its services in the Maldives through a partnership with the national shipping company Maldives State Shipping (MSS).

The service was officially launched at a ceremony held at Hotel Jen, attended by State Minister for Economic Development, Transport and Trade Abdul Latheef, MSS Managing Director Ahmed Shareef, officials from MSS, and Managing Director of State Trading Organisation (STO) Shimad Ibrahim.

Speaking at the ceremony, State Minister Latheef said the partnership reflects the positive direction of the Maldivian economy and highlighted the importance of strengthening the country’s freight and shipping sector, given that the Maldives imports more than 90,000 types of goods.

He said combining MSS’s local expertise with Evergreen’s global shipping network will help address challenges in international freight operations and improve connectivity for businesses in the Maldives.

The minister also identified challenges at the Malé Commercial Port as one of the major issues affecting the sector, adding that ongoing Government efforts to relocate the commercial port are expected to bring positive changes to the industry.

The partnership was established through an agreement signed between MSS and Evergreen’s Sri Lanka office. MSS Managing Director Ahmed Shareef said the agreement will provide greater benefits for Maldivian businesses, noting that Evergreen operates a global network transporting goods across all continents.

Evergreen Line has listed MSS as its official partner representing the Maldives. Evergreen Sri Lanka Vice President Anuradha Fernando said the company conducted research to identify a local partner that shares Evergreen’s operational principles and expressed confidence in working with MSS.

MSS said it is proud to partner with leading international shipping companies and currently works with global shipping firms including Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk. The company added that it will continue exploring further partnerships to strengthen shipping services in the Maldives.