The Liveaboard Association of Maldives (LAM) has expressed concern at the lack of alternative areas for docking after the announcement that the Hulhumalé western harbour area is to be cleared of vessels.
The announcement, made by the Housing Development Corporation on Tuesday (October 14), has asked for all boats to vacate the area by October 28 in order to make way for phase two of the island’s reclamation project.
“We are prepared to cooperate. But it is sad that we have nowhere to go, after vacating the harbor area,” LAM Vice President of LAM Ibrahim Shahid told Haveeru.
Shahid explained that the association had failed to gain permission to use the nearby harbour at Gulhi Falhu, noting that the bespoke Dhiyaneru habour – also in Kaafu Atoll – was not yet ready for use.
134 Safari vessels are currently registered with the tourism ministry, with the majority of them frequently using Hulhumalé for docking while in the capital.
Malé City Council is also reported to have requested the clearance of all vehicles from the south-western harbour area for project which will expand the size of the artificial island from the current 188 to 410 hectares.
