Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed has announced that construction of the new commercial port at Thilafushi, which will replace the existing Malé Commercial Harbour, will begin on 6 July.

Speaking at a press conference held at the President's Office on Tuesday, the Minister said practical works for the project will commence on 6 July, with the relocation of the Malé Commercial Harbour to Thilafushi scheduled for completion by November 2027.

The Minister said commercial ports have existed in Addu and Kulhudhuffushi for several years, but business activity at both facilities has remained limited due to a lack of opportunities for commercial operations.

He also noted that the Malé Commercial Harbour was designed around 40 years ago to meet the country's needs at the time and has not undergone the level of development required to keep pace with increasing demand. He said the Government is therefore relocating the commercial port to Thilafushi as part of a wider modernisation effort.

The Economic Minister stated the development of the country's main airport was not accompanied by corresponding improvements to its commercial seaport, despite international experience showing that airport and seaport infrastructure should be developed in parallel.

He said the Government has decided to address this gap with construction beginning next week and the relocation expected to be completed by November 2027.

The Minister also said the Government has introduced interim measures to ease congestion at the existing Malé Commercial Harbour until the new facility is completed. These include implementing phased operational changes to improve capacity and reduce pressure on the current port.

He further outlined plans to strengthen commercial activity at regional ports. In Kulhudhuffushi, land reclamation is underway to expand the port, while dredging works are planned to increase harbour capacity. The port has also been prepared to accommodate duty-free storage facilities.

In Addu, the Government plans to reclaim an additional hectare of land and establish facilities for duty-free storage and small-scale industrial activities to support greater commercial operations.