Milandhoo Airport

Public project

Planned
Under construction
Open

Started: Agreement 15 Oct 2025
Expected: 2028

21 hectares reclaimed in April–May 2026. The harbour is being moved to make room.

About

Milandhoo's own airport is being developed by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), which signed the agreement during President Muizzu's visit on 15 October 2025. The agreement covers 40 hectares of land reclamation, the airport itself, and moving the island's harbour to a new, larger one. Reclamation was carried out by Peninsula Infrastructure, an MACL subsidiary, using the dredger Queen of the Netherlands: 21 hectares were reclaimed with about 1.13 million cubic metres of sand between 3 April and 4 May 2026. With a further 4.9 hectares cleared on the existing island, the airport site covers 25.9 hectares. The government says the airport will be finished and in use within 30 months of the agreement, around April 2028.

#airport#project#macl#transport

Key facts

Developer: Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL)¹
Reclamation contractor: Peninsula Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (wholly owned MACL subsidiary, set up 6 Oct 2025)²
Reclamation in agreement: 40 ha (within 8 months)¹
Land reclaimed: 21 ha²
Sand placed: About 1,134,534 m³²
Airport site: 25.9 ha (21 ha reclaimed + 4.9 ha cleared on the island)²
Dredger: Queen of the Netherlands (35,000 m³ hopper, Boskalis)³
Reclamation time: 31 days⁴
Includes: Relocation of the existing harbour to a new, larger harbour⁵
Design: Airstrip laid out to link with planned inner and outer road networks⁶
Completion target: Within 30 months of 15 Oct 2025¹

Timeline

Island timeline

2028
2028Planned

Expected to open

Due within 30 months of the October 2025 agreement.
en.mmtv.mv
Now
2026
4 May 2026· 6 months ago

Land reclamation finished

21 hectares reclaimed in 31 days; the whole site covers about 26 hectares.
mbr.mv
26 April 2026

Dredging 42% complete

MACL reported 11 hectares reclaimed, 42% of the dredging. The dredger Queen of the Netherlands carries up to 35,000 m³ of sand a load.
psmnews.mv
6 April 2026

Council reports reclamation halted

The island council said reclamation stopped on 6 April at about 3% complete and linked it to the 4 April election results. Work later resumed and finished on 4 May.
raajje.mv
3 April 2026

Land reclamation begins

The dredger Queen of the Netherlands starts pumping sand for the airport.
mbr.mv
2025
15 October 2025

Agreement signed

The government agreed with Maldives Airports Company (MACL) to build the airport and a new harbour.
en.mmtv.mv
15 October 2025

President sets a 30-month deadline

During his visit to Milandhoo, President Muizzu said the airport, including the harbour development and relocation, will be finished and in use within 30 months. The 40-hectare land reclamation, contracted the same day, was scheduled to take eight months.
presidency.gov.mv
6 October 2025

MACL sets up Peninsula Infrastructure

MACL founded the subsidiary Peninsula Infrastructure for large reclamation and dredging work; it later reclaimed the Milandhoo airport land.
mbr.mv
6 February 2025

Named in the Presidential Address

In his Presidential Address, President Muizzu listed Shaviyani Milandhoo among the islands where new airport developments would begin.
presidency.gov.mv