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In what seems to be a first-of-its-kind shipment consisting of 150 perishable items, a ship departed from Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin port to reach Hithadoo port in Maldives early last week. Carrying a load of food items such as fruits, vegetables, onions, garlic and eggs, the ship reached the port located in Addu in the late hours of Wednesday. This landmark moment was acknowledged and celebrated in order to look for solutions that will allow the beach destination’s citizens to avail fresh produce without having to worry about having limited access.
Although perishable food products were previously brought into Addu via wooden ships, those vessels were only able to sail during certain times of the year when weather conditions were favourable. However, with steel ships coming into play, the frequency with which fresh food products can be availed increases for the residents of the island. The service, operated by the Kerala-based finesse group, is going to be one of the many for the company which is considered the largest supplier of fruits and vegetables to Maldives.
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The new initiative, which will significantly reduce costs and complexities involved in importing goods into the southern atolls, will result in convenient access to these perishable items for Addu locals. The established trade route, which was developed keeping in mind enhanced security measures also gives an assurance to Indian shipping companies who had previously raised concerns regarding safety. A potential bi-weekly service has been targeted for the shipment of perishable food items, although a definitive call has yet to be taken on the matter.
