Data shows that in April, 37 tonnes of sea-to-air cargo were transported abroad from the Maldives. This is equivalent to eight Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in terms of container capacity.
This service, inaugurated on 15th May 2024, allows seaborne cargo to be shipped to other countries via air transit.
According to Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), cargo has been shipped to five countries with four different airlines last April; namely, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways.
Currently, sea-to-air cargo shipping has been expanded to 17 airlines, with this service provided jointly by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and MPL.
This method of cargo transportation is carried out by several countries, providing many economic benefits. The government has noted that there are opportunities to expand this business as the Maldives is commonly frequented by many airlines.