Helicopter Tender to Relaunch in November, Minister Ameen Confirms Industry Objections Prompted Revision

The government will revise its tender for the introduction of helicopter services and reopen the bidding process in November, following objections from aviation firms over mandatory humanitarian aid provisions, according to Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen.

The announcement was made in response to questions from Mohamed Ibrahim, Member of Parliament for North Galolhu, who sought clarification on the delay of the service, originally scheduled to commence in March, and details regarding the company awarded the contract.

Minister Ameen explained that the initial Request for Proposal (RFP) was designed to maximise public benefit. Under the original terms, operators were required to allocate a portion of their services, free of charge, to the government for critical functions such as medical evacuations and rescue operations.

“The government did not want the matter to revolve solely around the collection of service tariffs. Instead, we assessed how the state could derive the maximum possible benefit from the arrangement,” Minister Ameen said.

He added, “Consequently, the requirement for providing mandatory free assistance for medical and rescue operations was incorporated into the conditions. However, after companies indicated that the scope of this commitment was too extensive, the previous RFP [Request for Proposal] has now been legally annulled.”

Although the initial tender attracted interest from 36 companies, subsequent consultations revealed widespread concern over the scale of the humanitarian obligations. Minister Ameen confirmed that the government had annulled the original proposal and would re-establish the standards for a revised tender.

“Drawing upon our previous experience, we will implement manageable modifications to the RFP. I am highly confident that we can launch the process before December and ensure its successful conclusion within a year,” he said.

Safety remains a central consideration in the government’s planning. Minister Ameen acknowledged that three fatal incidents occurred 25 years ago when helicopter services were previously operational in the country, a history that continues to fuel public apprehension.

To address these concerns, the government commissioned a study referencing civil aviation standards in the United States, which officials described as the global benchmark. The study concluded that certain types of helicopter services could be safely operated within the Maldives. The minister affirmed that both the study and the final service framework would align with international aviation safety protocols.

The government anticipates that the revised helicopter service will serve dual strategic purposes: strengthening the tourism sector and enhancing the nation’s capacity for humanitarian response.