Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) Mohamed Wajeeh Ibrahim has revealed that the sea-to-air cargo services has been expanding, noting that this was a significant initiative to bolster economic growth.
MPL has been providing sea-to-air cargo services in collaboration with Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways. It has entered an agreement pertaining to the provision of sea-to-air cargo services with the two airlines as well.
Speaking regarding the positive response received following the launch of sea-to-air cargo services, MPL's CEO Wajeeh stated that within two days, seven 40-foot containers were dispatched to Europe. He noted that this was a business conducted in several countries, highlighting numerous opportunities to expand the services. Wajeeh acknowledged the government's support in facilitating the expansion of services and the effective arrangements made by airports to ensure efficient provision of services.
MPL introduced sea-to-air cargo services in March, with the first shipment sent in May. The first shipment was a garment shipment from Bangladesh. The shipment was sent to Germany via Turkish Airlines.
Sea-to-air transshipment services were introduced with an aim to shorten the duration involved in shipping merchandise by sea and provide prompt assistance. This Hybrid Model aims to meet demands within the commercial industry efficiently. The key benefits MAldives will recieve from this service is the increased number of flights to various countries, especially European destinations, resulting from this service, typically offered by foreign countries to expedite the export process.