Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has been awarded the harbor development project in Maafushi island of Kaafu atoll.

The project was awarded to MTCC by the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure during a special ceremony held at the ministry on Monday.

MTCC’s CEO Adam Azim signed the agreement on behalf of the company, with the Director General at the Planning Ministry Fathmath Shana Farooq signing on behalf of the authority.

Although the Kaafu atoll island has a population of around 2,153 residents, it is estimated that the island has a population of about 5,000 individuals.

The island, which is has the largest guesthouse business operations in the archipelago nation, has been observing an increase in fishing boats, seasonal fishing vessels, small speedboats, diving vessels as well as cargo boats.

MTCC has stressed that the harbor at present is too small to meet the needs of the expanding economy of the island, given the rapid pace at which the island is progressing.

The company also noted that one of the biggest concerns facing the island community is the major space constraint in using the island’s harbor.

Noting that the island community also believes that one the most important resources the island is in dire need of right now, is to have a spacious, quality and modern harbor, MTCC stated that Maafushi will get a bigger and better harbor with the signing and implementation of the harbor development project on Monday.

Under the scope of the project, MTCC will carry out dredging and excavating operations of 28,836 cubic meters, dredging a new harbor basin covering an area of 67,711 cubic meters, 4,414 cubic meters of channel dredging, building an outer wall measuring 31 meters, installing a 680-meter revetment, geobag revetment along an area measuring 700 meters as well as a quay wall measuring 374 meters.

Further, the company will be constructing a concrete bridge, a concrete jetty and installing a pavement measuring 1,869 square meters as well as harbor lights.

The work on the project will commence following an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.

The project is valued at MVR 48.76 million and is contracted to be completed within 600 days.