The establishment of bonded zone services at Hithadhoo Commercial Harbour is a key step towards positioning Addu City as a commercial hub, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed has said.

The Minister made the remarks during a ceremony held in Addu City to inaugurate new facilities at Hithadhoo Commercial Harbour, where an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) to introduce bonded zone and duty-free storage services at the port.

Minister Saeed said the introduction of bonded and duty-free storage facilities aligns with the President’s vision to transform Addu into a centre for commercial activity with the necessary infrastructure and services to support trade and business operations. He noted that the development of such facilities fulfils a commitment made to improve port services in the southern region and create a more business-friendly environment.

The Minister stated that the Maldives’ northern and southern ports must evolve beyond functioning as satellite facilities if they are to contribute meaningfully to national trade and economic growth. He said this would require a combination of regulatory reforms, legal amendments and investment in port infrastructure and operational capacity to enable ports to support large-scale commercial activity.

Minister Saeed said the bonded and duty-free facilities planned for Hithadhoo would allow goods, including construction materials and containerised cargo, to be stored at the port with reduced costs, improving access for businesses operating in the southern atolls. He added that the availability of such services would strengthen supply chains and support the construction and tourism sectors in the region.

Commenting on logistics reforms, the Minister described the relocation of Malé Commercial Harbour to Thilafushi as a major structural change in the country’s economic infrastructure. He said the project is expected to modernise port operations and enhance the Maldives’ capacity to handle commercial cargo efficiently.

Maldives Ports Limited is set to award contracts for key components of the Thilafushi port development project this year, including quay wall construction, paving works, building development and the procurement of essential equipment. Once completed, commercial port operations in Malé are scheduled to be fully relocated to Thilafushi by November 2027.