The Ministry of Fisheries has announced that final preparations are underway to bring the GA. Dhevvadhoo ice plant back into operation.
The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) had been operating the Dhevvadhoo ice plant since 2016. During the MDP administration, it was handed over to Fenaka Corporation. Although the ice plant was operating smoothly, services were suspended and the facility was closed three years ago.
Following Fenaka Corporation's decision last year to cease operating ice plants, the Ministry of Fisheries intervened and officially handed the management of the ice plant back to MIFCO. When handed over to MIFCO, the facility was in a condition where services could not be provided without major repairs. Therefore, the Ministry of Fisheries undertook the repair work.
The Ministry of Fisheries stated that the work to bring the ice plant back into operation was contracted to a company named Green Refrigerator. The work was awarded to the company on the 9th of last month, to be completed within 30 days. The contract was awarded for MVR 692,900.
The Dhevvadhoo ice plant is being brought back into operation by relocating and installing an ice plant previously used in Sh. Funadhoo to Dhevvadhoo. The Ministry stated that they are preparing to begin the commissioning phase after repairing the ice plant, and that the facility will be handed over to MIFCO on Sunday after commissioning is completed by Saturday.
The ice plant currently installed in Dhevvadhoo has a capacity of producing 25 tonnes of ice.
Due to the closure of the ice plant in recent times, vessels from Dhevvadhoo and other vessels operating in the area had been purchasing ice from GA. Kooddoo. Vessel owners have stated that the journey to purchase ice is costly. Bringing the Dhevvadhoo ice plant back into operation after a long time will be a great relief for the vessel owners and fishermen of Dhevvadhoo.
