Maldives Tsunami Reconstruction Project

MT Højgaard has carried out the reconstruction of seven harbours located on six different islands of the Maldives.

Several harbours on the Maldives were damaged by the tsunami in 2004. Without a functioning harbour, island life in the Maldives comes to a virtual halt. Each island’s harbour is its main economic and social link with the outside world, making the import and export of goods and people possible.

Many of the smaller islands have no schools and only basic health care facilities. In order to access these services, people have to travel to other islands, again requiring a safe harbour in which to embark and disembark.

Reconstruction of harbours

Since 1999 we have executed 28 projects on the small, low-lying island state of the Maldives. Our largest project consisted of rebuilding seven harbours on six islands, which all suffered major damage during the tsunami in 2004. In addition, our projects include coastal protection to prevent the islands from disappearing into the sea because of erosion.

The project was comprised of:

Demolishing of existing harbour facilities, dredging for access channel and basin, reclamation, construction of quay wall by built-up pre-cast concrete cellular blocks, three different types of breakwaters, seawalls at both sides of the harbour to retain the reclamation area and the slope of the basin, concrete apron pavement on the apron area behind the quay wall and finally installation of navigation beacons at the entrance channel of each harbour for the sake of navigation safety.

The harbours are:

Funadhoo Harbour on Funadhoo Island in the Shaviyani Atoll, Malé North Harbour in North Malé Atoll, Dhiyamigili Harbour on Dhiyamigili Island in the Thaa Atoll, Isdhoo Harbour and Isdhoo-Kalaidhoo Harbour on Isdhoo Island in the Laamu Atoll, Fonadhoo Harbour on Fonadhoo Island in the Laamu Atoll, and Dhaandhoo Harbour on Dhaandhoo Island in the Gaafu Arifu Atoll.