Cargo ship from India makes maiden call at Kulhudhuffushi

The cargo ship MV MCP Linz, used in the recently established cargo ferry service link between Maldives and India, has made its maiden journey to the Maldivian city of Kulhudhuffushi in H. Dh. Atoll.

MV MCP Linz is operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), and will link the ports of Tuticorin and Cochin in India with the ports of Kulhudhuffushi and Male’ in Maldives.

The ship has the capacity to carry 380 TEUs and 3,000 metric tonnes of bulk cargo, and has a turnaround time of approximately 10 days for its journeys.

The ship arrived in Kulhudhuffushi at approximately 06:30 am this Saturday.

The Maldivian agent for the Maldives-India cargo ferry service link, Maldives State Shipping (MSS) said on Saturday that the ship will unload more than 500 tonnes of cargo to Kulhudhuffushi, including 500 tonnes of cement, and two containers with other types of cargo.

Kulhudhuffushi was scheduled to celebrate the ship’s maiden journey to the city, but the celebrations have been postponed as Kulhudhuffushi has been quarantined following the identification of a COVID-19 case in the city on Friday.

In light of the restrictions, the ship has not been allowed to dock directly at the Kulhudhuffushi port, and has set anchor just off the coast of the city.

Maldives Ports Limited (MPL)’s Kulhudhuffushi Port Limited (KPL) has stated that the cargo on MV MCP Linz will be unloaded to another ship before being taken to Kulhudhuffushi.

KPL has stated that 50 of its employees will be involved in unloading the cargo, and expects the work to be completed at approximately 01:30 pm.

MV MCP Lenz, after it unloads in Kulhudhuffushi, will continue on to Male’.