The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced that a total of 3,392 safety certificates have been issued to vessels across the Maldives over the past two years, following regulatory reforms aimed at streamlining maritime safety services.

According to the Ministry, 1,750 certificates were issued in 2024, while 1,642 were issued in 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance safety standards in a nation where 99 per cent of the territory is ocean and sea transport remains vital to economic activity.

The Ministry stated that several procedural changes were implemented to ease long-standing challenges faced by vessel owners. Notably, the validity period of safety certificates was extended from one year to five years in April 2024. In addition, updated regulations now require all vessels operating in Maldivian waters to be surveyed, endorsed, and validated at least once every year, with certificates issued under the revised rules from September 2024 onward.

Under the regulation, every vessel must undergo an annual survey and complete required safety procedures, with a copy of the safety certificate displayed onboard at all times. Certificates issued due to changes in passenger capacity, vessel use, or similar modifications will retain the validity period of the previous certificate.

The regulation also specifies that lost certificates must be replaced before a vessel departs, with a MVR 100 administrative fee charged for reissuance. No penalties will be imposed for misplacement-related renewals.