Mega Dredger Deployed as MACL Begins 111-Hectare Dhidhdhoo Reclamation Drive

In a major boost to infrastructure development in the northern Maldives, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has officially commenced land reclamation works in HA. Dhidhdhoo, following a pledge made by President Mohamed Muizzu.

The project, which aims to facilitate the development of Dhidhdhoo Airport while addressing housing demands and the need for essential public services, entered its physical implementation phase today. A special ceremony held in Dhidhdhoo marked the inauguration of reclamation works, with the project officially launched by the Minister of Finance and Planning, Moosa Zameer.

Senior government and corporate officials attended the event, including MACL’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, Deputy Managing Director Mujthaba Latheef, Dhidhdhoo constituency Member of Parliament Abdulla Latheef Mohamed, and Dhidhdhoo Island Council President Abdulla Rasheed, alongside residents of the island.

To carry out the large-scale reclamation, MACL has deployed Leiv Eiriksson, a cutting-edge trailing suction hopper dredger renowned for its scale and advanced technology. With a hopper capacity of 46,000 cubic meters, the vessel is regarded as one of the two most powerful dredgers currently operating worldwide, enabling efficient and high-volume reclamation works.

Under the project scope, MACL is scheduled to reclaim a total of 111 hectares of land in Dhidhdhoo. The reclaimed area is expected to significantly expand the island’s development potential, supporting long-term airport expansion plans and creating new space for housing and vital public infrastructure, while reinforcing the government’s broader agenda of balanced regional development across the Maldives.