The second phase of the Gulhifalhu land reclamation project in the Maldives is set to start in April, local media reports.
The project was contracted to Royal Boskalis Westminster for EUR 120 million (MVR 2 billion). Boskalis also executed the first phase in recent years.
The Dutch company has now mobilized the project site and started preparations to begin the dredging work.
An area of 198 hectares was dredged under phase one of the Gulhifalhu project.
An additional area of 150 hectares will be dredged under the second phase of the Gulhifalhu reclamation.
The land is being dredged so that the international commercial port in Male’ can be relocated to Gulhifalhu and developed as a regional commercial port.
Residential land plots will also be issued from the newly dredged area.
According to Boskalis, about 18 million cubic meters of sand will be needed to dredge the land. The company said it would install revetment to protect the reclaimed land.
Also, Boskalis is implementing various measures to mitigate possible adverse effects, including coral relocation and measures to limit the spreading of sediments in the water in combination with regular monitoring of the water quality.