The finance ministry is seeking an international consultancy firm to prepare a master plan, a detailed design, and tender document for the Thilafushi international port project.

The ministry issued a similar notice previously, the deadline for which is February 28.

Their newest notice requested that interested firms send in their expression of interest, according to their terms of reference, before March 7.

It also stated that the government supports international firms who send in their expression of interest with the help of local firms and will take this into account when shortlisting firms.

Maldives Ports Limited has stated that the only solution to the lack of space in the current industrial port in capital Male’ is to relocate it to Thilafushi. The project is to be split into phases and the first is to be launched within two to three years.

CEO Shahid Ali said that the Thilafushi port will provide greater storage capacity and that the loading and unloading of containers will take no longer than two days, compared to the over two weeks for clearance currently.