Chinese envoy confirms Sinamalé Bridge remains structurally stable
The incident involved a fuel-carrying barge and a tugboat that were under the custody of Maldives Customs Service.
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The Chinese Embassy in the Maldives has confirmed that the main structure of the Sinamalé Bridge sustained no damage after two vessels struck one of its pillars on Thursday night.
The incident involved a fuel-carrying barge and a tugboat that were under the custody of Maldives Customs Service.
Following the collision, a team from Second Harbour Engineering Company (SHEC), the Chinese company that built the bridge and currently carries out its maintenance, began inspecting the structure from Thursday night.
Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Kong Xianhua said in a social media post that the inspections found only minor surface damage to the bridge.
According to the ambassador, there was no indication of damage to the bridge’s main structure.
He said the bridge’s structural monitoring system also showed that it remained stable throughout the incident.
The monitoring system recorded no dents, deformation or abnormal vibration, he said.
Monitoring, inspection and maintenance of the Sinamalé Bridge have been assigned to SHEC under grant assistance from the Chinese government.
Infrastructure Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has also said the company will carry out any repairs required following the collision.
