Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has begun free ferry transfers from Malé City to Thamburudhoo for surfers.

The first transfer was at 2 pm on Friday, and left from Jetty No. 6.

While the free transfers were announced under MTCC’s corporate social responsibility programme, it was arranged together with the Ministry of Tourism.

The Ministry, MTCC and the Maldives Bodyboarding Association signed an agreement in May, with MTCC agreeing to provide free ferry transfers from Malé City to Thamburudhoo daily.

The ferry will leave from Malé to Thamburudhoo at 1:30 pm and return at 6 pm on weekdays, while the departure will be at 7 am on weekednds.

Surfers had expressed concern after authorities closed off Raalhugandu in order to build the bridge between the capital city and Hulhumalé, with some of the surfers even getting arrested for violating the order.

Speaking after the signing ceremony in May, Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer said that the reason the area was closed was “for the safety of the surfers” and that “hence, the government decided to find an alternative for them”.