Malé Commercial Harbour handled 14,525 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers in September 2026, according to monthly statistics released by Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), the state-owned company that runs the country’s main port.
The figures, reported on 26 October, give a snapshot of the cargo flowing into the capital as the government prepares to move most commercial port operations to Thilafushi by the end of next year.
Containers, Freight and Vessels
Of the total container volume, 7,139 TEUs were unloaded and 7,386 TEUs were loaded at the harbour during the month. MPL data shows the port cleared 178,197 tonnes of freight in September.
A total of 40 cargo vessels called at Malé during the month, made up of 14 container ships and 26 general cargo vessels. The port processed 5,673 consignments brought in by container vessels and 1,667 consignments carried by general cargo ships.
Food imports once again formed a significant share of the cargo. The figures show 77,595 cases of eggs, 39,582 cases of bananas and 17,102 cases of tomatoes passed through the harbour, along with 41,122 sacks of onions and 23,610 sacks of potatoes. The numbers underline how heavily the Maldives relies on imported staples brought in through the single harbour in Malé.
Relocation to Thilafushi
The September figures come as construction continues on a new commercial port at Thilafushi, a reclaimed industrial island of about 60 hectares near Malé. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade, the project is being carried out by MPL with debt financing and is targeted for completion in November 2027.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said in July that he was confident the new port would be fully operational by 11 November 2027. Under the government’s plan, around 80 percent of port operations will move to Thilafushi, while the rest will remain at the Industrial Village in south-west Malé, near the Thilamalé Bridge. Containers are to be shuttled between the two sites by roll-on/roll-off ferries, keeping heavy freight traffic away from residential neighbourhoods, and the port is set to run on a fully digital operations management system.
Faster Turnaround Expected
Congestion at the existing harbour has long been a concern for importers and businesses. Vessel turnaround at Malé Commercial Harbour currently takes between seven and 14 days, according to the Maaldif report on the MPL figures. Once open, the Thilafushi port is expected to cut that to roughly two days and to offer an initial annual capacity of about 390,000 TEUs.
The government has also said it plans to offer incentives to draw private investment into both port precincts as part of the relocation.
Sources
- Maaldif – Malé Commercial Harbour Handles 14,525 TEUs as Maldives Advances Thilafushi Port Development
- Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade – Malé Commercial Port Development (Relocation to Thilafushi)
- The President’s Office – President expresses confidence Malé Commercial Harbour will be relocated to Thilafushi by November next year
