State attests that the high-speed, interconnected and atolls-integrated ferry service will commence official operations in April 2022.
Following the completion of the testing and evaluation of a new breed of transport vessels; the services will reportedly commence under the management of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
Meanwhile, it was reported that the project contractor is currently resolving issues identified during the testing phase of the high-speed ferry vessels.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTCC, Mr. Adam Azim who spoke with local media after inspecting the progress of the project confirmed that the workforce has already been prepared and made ready for operations.
It has been reported that under the interconnected high-speed ferry network, the initial phase of the transport services will commence from Haa Dhaal atoll.
“We have successfully completed installation and integration of the new transport link software on a nationwide scale. After resolving the issues discovered from the ferries during the test phase, official operations will commence in April,” Mr. Azim affirmed.
The interconnected ferry service will commence through various phases; targeted into various administrative zones. The atolls under the first phase include northern atolls of Haa Alif, Haa Dhaal, and Shaviyani.
Out of the atolls of the first-phase, operations will debut from Haa Dhaal atoll since the Raajje Transport Link (RTL) terminal Kulhudhuffushi (the atoll’s capital) has been completed while the terminal in H.Dh. atoll Hanimaadhoo is currently bordering on full completion.
It has been estimated that the RTL ferry services will commence in both Haa Alif and Shaviyani atolls by May 2022, according to MTCC.
A total of 40 terminals will be developed in the atolls under the first-phase. MTCC further testified that works on major 8 terminals out of the 40 are already underway with most already reaching near completion.
MTCC had earlier, divided the administrative atolls into a total of six different zones for the national ferry service.