Japan Donates USD 85,000 Worth of Patrol Vessel Equipment to Maldives Customs
Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives, Ishigami Rumiko, presented the equipment to Maldives Customs Commissioner General Fathimath Dhiyana.
The Government of Japan has donated patrol vessel equipment worth approximately USD 85,000 to the Maldives Customs Service to strengthen maritime law enforcement and efforts to combat illegal trade at sea.
The equipment, procured under Japan’s Economic and Social Development Programme (ESDP), was formally handed over during a ceremony in Malé on Sunday.
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Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives, Ishigami Rumiko, presented the equipment to Maldives Customs Commissioner General Fathimath Dhiyana.
The donation includes two GPS navigation systems, two marine radar units, two sounding machines, two international VHF radiotelephones, and three two-way wireless telephone devices with spare parts.
Ambassador ISHIGAMI officially handed over patrol vessel equipment including marine radar and communication systems to strengthen maritime surveillance and operational capabilities of @CustomsMv. The equipment was received by Commissioner General Fathimath Dhiyana. @JapanAmbMV pic.twitter.com/Rn5HVckVLy— Embassy of Japan in Maldives (@JapaninMaldives) June 23, 2026
According to Customs, the equipment was manufactured by Japanese companies including Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. and ICOM Inc. and is expected to improve navigation safety, maritime surveillance, and communication capabilities of Customs patrol vessels.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Ishigami said the equipment reflects the quality and reliability of Japanese technology and expressed hope that it would support safer navigation and more effective maritime operations in the Maldives.
The assistance follows Japan’s handover of the patrol vessel TATEYAMA to the Maldives Customs Service in November 2025. Customs said the vessel and newly donated equipment will further strengthen its maritime operational capabilities and support efforts to ensure the safety and security of the Maldives’ maritime borders.
Japan has provided a number of assistance packages to the Maldives in recent years. Among its recent contributions are drainage pumps for installation in flood-prone islands to help mitigate flooding, and diving equipment donated to the Maldives National Defence Force to strengthen its operational capabilities.
