Vessels ordered to clear Malé north harbour for jetty development

The Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure has ordered vessels docked at part of Malé North Harbour to be removed ahead of work to develop new jetties in the area.

In an announcement gazetted on Wednesday, the ministry said it had decided to begin physical works to develop jetties at the harbour to address difficulties faced by people using the area.

Vessels docked between the Fishermen’s Park area and Naadhee Goalhi have been ordered to vacate the area by 11pm on Friday. The ministry said vessels that remain after the deadline will be removed by the authorities.

Malé North Harbour is used by a large number of speedboats and ferries. Limited berthing space has made boarding and disembarking difficult, particularly when passengers have to cross several vessels to reach a boat berthed farther from the quay. The situation also poses difficulties for elderly passengers.

President Mohamed Muizzu has previously announced plans to improve passenger access at the harbour by developing additional jetties near the MMA building.

Under the plans, three additional small jetties will be developed in the area to allow vessels to berth alongside them. Each side of a jetty will accommodate five vessels, allowing 10 vessels to berth at each jetty.

The three jetties will therefore be able to accommodate 30 vessels at a time, providing passengers with more direct access for boarding and disembarking.