Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has decided to expand commercial space at Malé North Harbour for businesses providing supplies to boats.

MPL has been carrying out several initiatives to improve services at North Harbour and create a more efficient operating environment for cargo vessels and other boats using the harbour.

Speaking on a programme on State media, MPL Assistant General Manager Ahmed Azzam Shareef said commercial spaces have already been allocated to several companies, including State Trading Organization (STO), Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC), and Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), to provide services at the harbour. He said the arrangement has made it easier for boats to obtain the supplies they need.

Azzam said the ground floor of the former café building at North Harbour has also been designated for commercial use. MPL has now opened bidding to allocate the available spaces and plans to offer an additional six slots.

He said having suppliers operating within the harbour area will benefit both businesses and boat operators by allowing goods to be obtained more conveniently and delivered directly to vessels.

Successful bidders will be able to use the spaces as storage facilities or operate commercial supply services from the harbour, delivering goods directly to boats. Azzam said the arrangement would make supplies more accessible for vessel operators while also benefiting businesses.

He added that wholesale suppliers will be prioritised to ensure goods can be supplied more quickly and at lower cost.