Maldives Ports Limited cleared cargo from 1,594 shipping containers at the Malé Commercial Harbour over the past seven days, recording a significant weekly throughput surge that expedited the processing of essential food commodities, perishable fruits, and construction materials.
Operational performance data published by the state port authority on Tuesday revealed that terminal stevedores handled a total of 44,181.43 freight tonnes of import cargo during the week, supported by round-the-clock crane shifts aimed at reducing turnaround times for incoming container vessels.
Surge in containerized and perishable food imports
According to MPL, container vessels accounted for 40,672.84 freight tonnes of the processed volume, while general breakbulk cargo vessels delivered 3,508.59 freight tonnes. In total, port workers discharged 1,932 containers from arriving vessels and loaded 1,514 export and empty units back onto departing carriers.
Terminal teams placed priority on expediting perishable foodstuffs, clearing 51,751 packages of fresh vegetables and fruits to stabilize wholesale market supply across the capital:
"Operational efficiency at the commercial harbour remains vital to securing the national food supply. Priority clearance protocols ensured that over 51,000 perishable packages reached local wholesale markets without delay," MPL management noted in its weekly trade summary.
Key staples cleared in large volumes included 15,692 crates of eggs, 10,410 sacks of onions, 5,977 sacks of pumpkins, and 4,563 bags of potatoes.
Accelerating Thilafushi port relocation
During the week, five commercial vessels arrived at Malé Commercial Harbour, while nine vessels completed cargo operations and departed the port.
MPL highlighted that current throughput records are being maintained while civil preparatory works accelerate for the planned relocation of the international commercial port to the industrial island of Thilafushi. The government targets officially inaugurating the new purpose-built container port on 11 November next year, providing deep-water quays and modern container handling systems that will fundamentally resolve spatial congestion in Malé.
