Under the government's project to establish ice plants in 11 islands across the Maldives, civil works for ice plants in three islands have commenced and are ongoing.
According to a presentation shared by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during a press conference held at the President's Office yesterday, civil works for the ice plants being established in Dhaalu Meedhoo, Dhaalu Bandidhoo, and Shaviyani Funadhoo have now begun. A major part of the civil works for the Meedhoo plant has been completed, and the next step will be the installation of the ice plant. While civil works are ongoing in the other two islands, the President revealed that the plants have now been ordered.
The project to build ice plants in Dhaalu Meedhoo, Dhaalu Bandidhoo, and Shaviyani Funadhoo was awarded to the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) in September last year, to be completed within 8 months. These three projects were awarded to MIFCO at a rate of MVR 8 million per ice plant, totaling MVR 24 million. Under this project, each island will have a facility capable of producing 30 tonnes of ice per day and storing 50 tonnes of ice.
The government's project to establish ice plants in 11 islands aims to resolve the difficulties fishermen face in obtaining ice, ensuring that fishermen from all regions of the Maldives can access ice without any hardship. Under this project, ice plants will also be established at the government's expense in Dhaalu Meedhoo, Dhaalu Bandidhoo, Shaviyani Funadhoo, Kulhudhuffushi City, Meemu Veyvah, and Lhaviyani Naifaru.
Under this project, ice plants in 5 islands are being established with the assistance of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) of Saudi Arabia. These are the ice plants being developed in Haa Alifu Ihavandhoo, Haa Alifu Dhidhdhoo, Shaviyani Komandoo, Alifu Alifu Rasdhoo, and Gaafu Dhaalu Rathafandhoo. Among these, the ice plant works for Haa Alifu Dhidhdhoo, Shaviyani Komandoo, Alifu Alifu Rasdhoo, and Gaafu Dhaalu Rathafandhoo have been tendered, and bid evaluation is currently underway. Furthermore, efforts are ongoing to secure approval from the Saudi Fund to obtain the necessary funding for the construction of the Kulhudhuffushi City ice plant.
The inability to obtain sufficient ice, the unavailability of ice from some existing plants, and having to travel to distant islands burning fuel to get ice are major challenges currently faced by fishermen. It is expected that the new ice plants will bring significant relief to the hardships fishermen currently endure in obtaining ice.
