Giraavaru Falhu Reclamation Nears 70 Per Cent Completion

Land reclamation operations at Giraavaru Falhu have reached nearly 70 per cent completion, with 115 hectares now reclaimed out of the targeted 167.15-hectare project footprint.

According to Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the progress represents 68.8 per cent of the total planned area, with works advancing steadily across the lagoon.

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Key operations on the major development project continue to be driven by the dredger Queen of the Netherlands, which remains deployed on site to carry out the reclamation.

The government had previously aimed to complete the entire reclamation by mid-year to allocate plots to designated recipients. Following revisions to the land use plan, authorities have now decided to issue 4,072 land plots from Giraavaru Falhu.

Originally launched in May 2023 under the previous administration, the project was managed by the Maldives Fund Management Corporation (MFMC) and contracted to Capital Marine Engineering and Construction (CMC). However, operations ground to a halt shortly after the change of government, with only 56 hectares reclaimed out of an initial 120-hectare target.

Following the hiatus, MACL assumed control of the project and restarted reclamation in January, with the government expanding the footprint to 169 hectares under a revised land-use plan.

Upon resumption, authorities pledged to finish dredging by March and deliver plots by June, before successively pushing the completion deadline to April and then late May. Five months after those targets passed, reclamation work remains ongoing to fill the remaining area.

Reclamation works at Giraavaru Falhu continue to make steady progress, with 115 hectares reclaimed out of the planned 167.15 hectares, marking 68.8% completion. The Queen of the Netherlands dredger continues to play a key role in advancing this major land reclamation project. https://t.co/yWQT1ofr1G— Maldives Airports Company Ltd (@MACLmedia) November 4, 2026