Under the Transforming Fisheries Sector Management in South-West Indian Ocean Region and Maldives Project (TRANSFORM), conducted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources with World Bank assistance, the opportunity has been opened for interested parties to design a fishing vessel equipped with the latest technology.
Under the TRANSFORM project, preparations are underway to begin designing a fishing vessel featuring the latest technology. The purpose of this work is to study the current challenges faced by fishers and fishing vessels, and to find a party that will design a vessel in a way that provides solutions to all these issues.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources has highlighted important aspects during discussions held with fishers and various fish processors. Accordingly, discussions covered improving the quality of the catch, enhancing the safety of fishers at sea, methods for storing fish on the vessel for longer periods, ways to minimize damage to fish during the catching process, easier methods for loading and unloading fish, using modern technology to locate fish schools, methods for storing bait for longer periods, reducing fuel costs, and ways to conduct environmentally friendly fishing. The Ministry stated that the newly designed fishing vessel will be formulated taking all the above factors into consideration.
This project is a very important opportunity to build the Maldives' fishing industry for future generations. Utilizing this opportunity will pave the way for advancing fishing in cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways. Furthermore, this will bring economic progress to fishers and fish processors. Additionally, a key objective of this project is to portray fishing as a profitable employment sector and to increase the competitiveness of Maldivian skipjack tuna in the international market. The Ministry noted that this modern fishing vessel is a strategic investment for the future of the community and development, taking Maldivian fisheries to the next level.
To find interested parties for this work, the Terms of Reference (TOR) has now been announced in the Gazette. The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) for this work is 14:00 on 18 December 2025. The opportunity to submit an EOI is open to local and foreign parties, as well as joint ventures.
The TRANSFORM project is an initiative aimed at enhancing regional cooperation through data collection, research, and information sharing to support evidence-based decision-making, and increasing the capacity of countries to manage and protect the fisheries sector. The objectives of this project include promoting sustainable and inclusive practices to expand and diversify the fisheries sector, eliminating barriers to business competitiveness, and increasing women's participation in fisheries management.
The waters of the South-West Indian Ocean region are shared by the Maldives and 11 other countries. They are Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Yemen, Comoros, La Réunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
