New Maritime Rescue Coordination Center building opens in Vilimale’

The newly built Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) building has opened in Vilimale’.

The building – constructed with funding from the Japanese government - was inaugurated by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in a ceremony held on Monday morning. The ceremony was also attended by Japanese Ambassador Ishigami Rumiko, Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam, Defense Minister Hassan Rasheed and Chief of Defense Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy.

Addressing the ceremony, Ishigami highlighted on the close ties between Maldives and Japan, and reaffirmed Tokyo’s support for the country’s developmental initiatives.

The foundation stone for the new MRCC building was laid back on June 23, 2022. However, construction had remained stalled for various reasons, before restarting during the incumbent administration.

According to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), the new MRCC building is aimed at boosting the capacity of the Coast Guard.

The project was run in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with funding from Japan.

The MNDF also received support from the Australian government in equipping the center with modern equipment and resources.

The MRCC is the center that coordinates rescue efforts in response to aviation and maritime emergencies.

The new MRCC building houses a modern operations room, classrooms for trainings, and an auditorium.

Statistics show the MRCC received 3,713 incident reports over the last decade, and coordinated the rescue of 8,359 people.

The MRCC originally opened in 2006 by the name of Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS). It was later renamed the MRCC in 2012 with an expanded mandate.