President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has assured the public that the government is working tirelessly to bring the RTL (Raajje Transport Link) ferry service to the standards expected by citizens, even as delays caused by the Middle East conflict have forced a re‑ordering of spending priorities.
Speaking at a press conference, the President fielded a question from a journalist about the status of the RTL ferry network. He acknowledged that the original target of completing the service across all atolls by the end of this month had not been met, citing the broader economic and logistical challenges posed by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“Despite these constraints, the RTL ferry service is being delivered at the level the people require. We are now rolling it out in all the atolls and are striving to make the service as comfortable and reliable as possible,” he said.
According to the latest official data, the RTL ferry service has already been launched in 15 atolls, with 35 speedboats currently in operation and an additional 12 vessels under construction. The network, which began in 2022, now covers 145 islands across the archipelago.
The government’s next phase will focus on interconnecting atolls, ultimately linking each atoll to one another and eventually integrating the various zones within the country.