Sinamalé Bridge Escapes Structural Damage Following Vessel Incident

Infrastructure Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said the Sinamalé Bridge narrowly escaped a potentially serious disaster during an incident involving two drifting vessels near Malé Thursday night.

According to the minister, engineers from Second Harbour Engineering Company (SHEC), which constructed the China–Maldives Friendship Bridge, inspected the structure last night and conducted a second assessment this morning.

“Alhamdulillah, there is no structural damage, only surface scratches,” Muththalib said.

The minister stated that SHEC would repair the scratches using appropriate methods that meet the required standards. The work will be undertaken through an existing monitoring, inspection and maintenance arrangement supported by Chinese grant aid.

Highlighting the potential consequences of such incidents, Muththalib warned that a vessel drifting out of control near Malé could threaten both bridges connecting the capital with Hulhulé, Velana International Airport and other critical infrastructure.

He said an incident of that scale could severely disrupt life across the entire capital region, stressing that authorities must be prepared to respond before a vessel reaches vital infrastructure.

Muththalib said the government has been proactively developing the necessary response capacity. Maldives Ports Limited is already acquiring two powerful tugboats capable of securing drifting or disabled vessels before they reach the bridges. The vessels are expected to be delivered within two months.

The government will also review port anchorage arrangements and establish clear emergency communication and response procedures in coordination with the Maldives Coast Guard and other relevant authorities, he said.