The government has made all the necessary preparations to initiate the Dhidhdhoo land reclamation project for the island’s airport development, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL)’s Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed said.
Dhidhdhoo airport development is a key presidential pledge of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
Speaking to PSM News, MACL’s CEO Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed stated that the final preparation works for the land reclamation project in Dhidhdhoo is currently underway. And the dredger used for this project has already been transported to the location.
One of the world’s largest trailing suction hopper dredgers, The ‘Leiv Eriksson’ is planned to be utilised for this project. This dredger has a capacity of 46,000 m³ and signals the third hopper dredger brought by the government to accelerate land reclamation efforts. The other dredgers currently active are Boskalis dredger from the Netherlands, Prins Der Nederland and Oranje hopper dredger.
MACL stated that approximately 102.73 hectares of land is planned for reclamation under this project.
President Dr Muizzu, during a community meeting with Dhidhdhoo residents in January assured that all pledges made to the island will be fulfilled with the utmost priority and that the airport development project is a landmark project designed for a sustainable long term development plan not only for Dhidhdhoo, but the entire region.