The inauguration ceremony for the new terminal of Velana International Airport, partially built by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. under China Communications Construction Company Limited, was recently held on Airport Island in the Maldives.
A view of the new terminal at Velana International Airport [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Located adjacent to the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, the new terminal incorporates distinctive Maldivian cultural elements into its modern architectural design. Spanning about 37,000 square meters and a total floor area of around 80,000 square meters, the three-story structure stands approximately 21.7 meters high and adopts a combination of reinforced concrete and steel structures.
The new terminal at Velana International Airport is equipped with modern facilities. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Equipped with modern facilities, the terminal houses 47 check-in counters, 6 self-service kiosks, 20 outbound immigration counters, 6 boarding gates, and 12 passenger boarding bridges, with an annual passenger capacity exceeding 7 million. It fully replaces the original terminal, which had been in service since 1981, marking a significant upgrade of the Maldives’ airport infrastructure.
As a key achievement of China-Maldives cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, the project commenced in August 2019, topped out in January 2021, and was completed in July this year. Its trial operation is expected to attract more international airlines to launch routes to the Maldives, strengthen the country’s connectivity with the world, and create new opportunities for the growth of its tourism sector and socio-economic development.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
