The dredging and reclamation project at Hulhumalé Phase III, which began last year, has stalled once again.
The project, set to reclaim 63 hectares of land, has faced multiple delays — work had last resumed at the site on 24 June, according to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).
According to images, including video, shared by HDC, as well as satellite imagery captured on Saturday, there has been limited progress over the last two months, with the area last dredged in the final week of June and no further excavation carried out since.
While no reasons were given for the current delay, HDC had, in June, said that the remaining 40 hectares of the total 63 to be reclaimed for Phase III would be completed soon.
The practical reclamation work of the project, contracted to Capital Marine and Civil Construction Company (CMC), is being carried out by Boskalis of the Netherlands. While Boskalis had primarily deployed the dredger Willem van Oranje for the project, the company also brought in an additional dredger Prins der Nederlanden on 18 April to speed up the work.
However, neither dredger is currently in the Maldives—according to vessel tracking information, Willem van Oranje is in South Korea, while Prins der Nederlanden is in the Philippines.
Dredging and reclamation work on Phase III initially began on 22 September 2023. After a subsequent pause, work resumed in January this year. Several political appointees had, at the time, posted video updates on the project’s daily progress. However, the work stalled once again before resuming in June.
The second dredger was then brought in to speed up the project. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had also ordered work to be suspended until June 10 due to coral bleaching; as a result, work eventually resumed on June 24.
The project, valued at about US$268 million (approximately MVR 3.9 billion), includes dredging required for Hulhumalé Phase III’s yacht marina.
Reclaimed land at Thilafushi, for which CMC has been given development rights for 99 years, will serve as payment for the Phase III reclamation. The remaining cost of the project will be covered by 10 hectares of land, also given to CMC for 99 years in Hulhumalé, and a US$20 million advance.
