Emboodhoo lagoon developed by company with ties to Colonel Ziyad

A company affliated with New Radiant Chairman Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Ziyad has begun the development of Emboodhoo lagoon into a 10 resort location.

The reclamation and development of the area is carried out by Belgium's Dredging, Environment and Marine Engineering (DEME) company.

The Government of Maldives had sold off the area to Thailand's Singha estate. The area is developed by Singha Estate's subsidiary in the Maldives, Dream Island Company. Dream Island is owned by both Colonel Ziyad and Singha Estates.

Speaking in the ceremony held last April to launch the new runway and apron project for the airport, President Abdullah Yameen said that Emboodoo lagoon was sold off for around US$ 40 million (MVR 616.8 million).

Tourism Ministry website says the area was sold on February 9, 2016.

Speaking to foreign media sources DEME’s business development head for India, Sir Lanka, and the Maldives, Bart Rumes said bunds for 10 new islands will be developed as part of this initiative, adding that one had already been completed. He added that work on the second island had begun and that by mid-April they will be able to clearly separate the 10 islands.

Rumes said they will need to excavate over two million m3 of sand for the project. He said the company will use a trailing suction hopper dredger for it. Rumes said this aspect of the project wil last two months. He had forecasted the reclamation will be completed by June.

DEME had previously carried out the reclamation of Hulhumale’ second phase. The company had cleared 6 m3 of sand for this phase.

Rumes noted that DEME would be working in a joint venture with Indian engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on the second phase of the west coast Seabird project in Karwar, one of the largest naval infrastructure projects in India.