Maldives Immigration has introduced a real-time maritime tracking system to monitor the movement of seafarers, enhance port surveillance, and strengthen operational capacity at the country’s busiest seaborne entry point. The announcement was made in a video message released by the agency.

According to the agency, the Seaport Division has fully operationalised the platform, known as the Universal Automatic Identification System (UAIS), which enables continuous monitoring of vessels within a 30-nautical-mile radius of Malé Port. The initiative replaces previous labour-intensive procedures that relied on manual data collection and inter-agency coordination.

Before the system’s rollout, expected arrival times were gathered manually through communication with the Maldives Customs Service and Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), often requiring staff to engage directly with multiple institutions.

Immigration stated that the UAIS now allows the Seaport Division to identify vessel locations and monitor movement schedules more accurately and efficiently. The new process has significantly reduced the administrative burden and improved responsiveness in port operations.

The system is consistent with international maritime protocols and is similar to those used in major global ports to support safety and procedural integrity.

Beyond surveillance functions, Maldives Immigration anticipates that the implementation of UAIS will expedite seafarer clearance procedures and raise the overall quality of services provided at Malé Port.