Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed has stated that the government plans to build a bunkering port in the southern region. He made the remark while responding to questions in Parliament.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's week-14 roadmap includes a project to build a commercial port with bunkering services in Gaadhoo, Laamu Atoll. Minister Saeed said that the project will begin soon, adding that the development of a commercial port in Ihavandhippolhu and the port in Gaadhoo are two separate projects. He said that the projects will be carried out after environmental impact assessments are conducted, assuring that the government would not proceed with the projects if the results of the assessments were unfavourable.
Furthermore, Minister Saeed highlighted the difficulties in developing transshipment ports in the Maldives due to the lack of goods to transit. In addition, he noted that the State Trading Organisation (STO) has already signed an agreement with a foreign company to develop a bunkering facility in the northernmost region and assured that the government will not stop the project.