The Maldives Ministry of Economic Development has announced that a ceremony will take place to inaugurate the Hanimaadhoo International Airport Development Project. The project, which is in the design and survey stage, is one of the largest projects aimed at developing the northern region of the Maldives.
It was awarded to India-based JMC Projects Limited in September 2022 at a cost of USD 136 million and is being funded by loan assistance from the EXIM Bank of India. The project includes major infrastructure and operational upgrades, including a 2.46km runway to allow larger aircraft such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to land at the airport, a modern terminal that can accommodate 1.3 million passengers annually, a cargo terminal, fuel farms and a fire station.
The government expects the completion of the project to increase tourist arrivals in the northern atolls, resulting in more job opportunities and benefits for local businesses. They also anticipate that the development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport will greatly facilitate the expansion of tourism by increasing the number of resorts, city hotels and guesthouses, increase business and employment opportunities in the northern provinces, and play an important role in implementing the government’s plans to establish a modern maritime hub in the north of the country that will provide services to large cargo ships travelling along the main shipping routes of the world.
