Sinamalé Bridge
Sinamalé Bridge ސިނަމާލެ ފާލަން China-Maldives Friendship Bridge | |
|---|---|
 An aerial view of the bridge | |
| Coordinates | 4°10′24″N 73°31′28″E / 4.1733°N 73.5245°E |
| Carries | Motor vehicles and Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Malé, Hulhulé |
| Locale | Maldives |
| Official name | Sinamalé Bridge |
| Maintained by | China Harbour Engineering |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Curve bridge |
| Total length | 1.39 km |
| Width | 20.3 m |
| History | |
| Constructed by | China Harbour Engineering Company |
| Construction end | 30 August 2018 |
| Opened | 7 September 2018 |
| Inaugurated | 30 August 2018 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Sinamalé Bridge ސިނަމާލެ ފާލަން | |
The Sinamalé Bridge (Dhivehi: ސިނަމާލެ ފާލަން; lit. 'China-Malé Bridge') links the islands of Malé, Hulhulé and Hulhumalé in the Maldives.[1] The 1.39 km long bridge has two car lanes and separate lanes for motorcycles, and pedestrians,[2] and opened on 30 August 2018. It was originally called the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge due to funding received from the Chinese government.[3][4] It is the first inter-island bridge in the Maldives.[5]
History
[edit]The vision of connecting the islands of Malé and Hulhulé through a bridge gained significant momentum in 2007[6] and became a key topic during the 2008 presidential campaign, championed by then-candidate Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.[7][8] While alternative viewpoints on the project were expressed at the time,[7] the commitment to realizing this crucial infrastructure ultimately prevailed.
Under the leadership of President Abdulla Yameen, the ambitious project officially commenced in 2014[9][10] and was inaugurated in 2018,[11]marking a historic milestone for the Maldives. This vital link, the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, stands as the nation's first sea-crossing bridge.
The realization of this landmark project, with a total investment of US$210 million, was made possible through a significant partnership. A US$126 million grant from the Chinese government, complemented by a US$68 million concessional loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, provided the essential funding.[12] China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), an established contractor that previously worked on the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge in Malaysia,[13]completed the construction.
The scale of the project and its financing model attracted considerable attention and discussion within the Maldives.[14] The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge stands as one of the most significant infrastructure achievements completed during the tenure of President Abdulla Yameen.
President Yameen's administration, which fostered closer ties with China, formally embraced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2014.[15] This strategic partnership facilitated substantial Chinese investment in critical Maldivian infrastructure, with the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge serving as a prime and enduring symbol of this mutually beneficial cooperation.
The plan form of the bridge follows a gentle curve, bowing out to the southern side of a direct line. It passes across a channel with a typical depth of more than 50 metres.[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ SinaMalé Bridge/China-Maldives Friendship Bridge Opened to Traffic. IndraStra Global. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020 – via YouTube.
- ↑ ""China-Maldives Friendship Bridge" project launched". Maldives Independent. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ↑ ""A new metropolis links up"". The Business Report. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ↑ "Sina-Male' Bridge: No tolls until September 23". Maldives Times. 3 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ↑ Macan-Markar, Marwaan (20 September 2018). "Maldivians head to presidential election in China's shadow". Nikkei Asian Review.
The most visible is the Chinese-Maldives Friendship Bridge, the first cross-sea link in the country and built with aid from Beijing is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.
- ↑ Abdulla, Ahmed Adham (2007). In-depth Technology Needs Assessment on transport sector. Male', Maldives: Ministry of Environment and Energy. p. 40.
- 1 2 "Bore hole drilling begins for Malé–Hulhulé bridge survey". Minivan News – Archive. 20 May 2015.
- ↑ "Imagine a bridge like the Oresund bridge connecting Male' to Hulhumale'". Dhivehi Observer Maldives News. 8 July 2008.
- ↑ "President of China concludes State Visit to the Maldives". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 16 September 2014. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021.
- ↑ "Maldives, China eye bridge project for Male airport". The BRICS Post. 2 December 2014.
- ↑ Zalif, Zunana (30 August 2018). "President Yameen inaugurates Sinamale Bridge". raajje.mv.
- ↑ Mundy, Simon (10 February 2019). "The Maldives counts the cost of its debts to China". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ↑ "Witnessed by the President of China and the President of Maldives, CHEC Signed the MOU for Maldives Comprehensive Infrastructure Project". CHEC. 16 September 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018.
- ↑ Ethirajan, Anbarasan (17 September 2020). "China debt dogs Maldives' 'bridge to prosperity'". BBC News. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ↑ "China's sustained influence in the Maldives". www.orfonline.org. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "GADL International LtdFeasibility Study for Construction of a Bridge between Malé and Hulhumalé Final Report REP-217093-01". www.slideshare.net. p. 20. Retrieved 3 May 2026 – via Client Challenge.
...the water depth in the channel exceeds 50m and that the reef slopes are generally relatively steep