Under the high speed ferry system started to connect all the atolls of the country, the launch ferries needed to start the service in the Shaviyani Atoll have been sent.

The ferries were sent by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) on Sunday. Four ferries have already been sent to the Atoll.

MTCC said the company has been working on the project. There will be seven routes in the Atoll. The ferries are scheduled to start on Tuesday and the first trip will be an unofficial one. These are conducted by MTCC before the official start of the ferries in each province to study the routes. These trips are free.

MTCC said tickets will be available through the islands' council offices once the route test trips start. The trips are scheduled to last for one week. However, tickets will be available through the 'Raajje Transport Link' (RTL) app once the service is officially launched.

MTCC has so far launched RTL services in Haa Alif and Haa Dhaal Atoll. The service will be available in all the islands of Zone One following the service starting in Shaviyani Atoll.

This is a service under the Integrated National Public Ferry Network. The network is designed to connect the three zones and six regions of the National Special Plan (2020-2040), including passenger and freight ferries. The ferry network will connect all the islands in the six regions. There are three different ways to connect the passenger ferry. They are via "Commute Link", "Non-Commute Link", and "Highway Link".

A commute link is a link that connects islands in the region and is reserved for short journeys for common work or essential purposes. A non-commute link is for long journeys between two islands. The highway link is the main transport hub connecting one region to another. The second service in the integrated national public ferry network is the cargo ferry service. This service will connect all the islands in the region with the nearest commercial hub.

The project is scheduled to be implemented in three phases. The first phase of the service has started while the second phase will link Noonu, Raa, Baa, Lhaviyani, Gaaf Alif, Gaaf Dhaal, Gnaviyani, and Seenu atolls.

Kaafu, Alif Alif, Alif Dhaal, Vaavu, Meemu, Faafu, Dhaal, Thaa and Laamu will be linked in the third phase.

A total of 188 islands will be connected under the project.

Five more Atolls will be connected by ferry system in August next year according to the Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Mohamed Aslam.