Velana International Airport (VIA) handled 18,457 tonnes of cargo during the second quarter of 2026, recording a two percent increase compared with the first three months of the year as transshipment activity and dedicated cargo flights continued to grow.
Of the total cargo processed between April and June, 13,542 tonnes were imports, accounting for the majority of traffic through the country’s main international airport. Exports reached 4,915 tonnes during the quarter.
One of the strongest areas of growth was transshipment cargo, which increased by 26 percent compared with the first quarter, reaching 3,650 tonnes.
This included 3,116 tonnes of air-to-air cargo, where shipments arriving on one aircraft are transferred to another for onward transportation, and 534 tonnes handled through the airport’s growing sea-to-air logistics service.
Freighter activity also increased during the quarter. VIA recorded 94 dedicated cargo flight movements, representing growth of 12 percent from the previous three-month period.
The figures come as Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) continues efforts to position VIA as a regional cargo and transshipment hub alongside its traditional role as the country’s primary passenger gateway.
A major part of that expansion has been the airport’s new cargo terminal, which opened in January 2025. The facility currently has capacity to process around 120,000 tonnes of cargo annually, significantly expanding the airport’s ability to handle imports, exports and transit shipments.
The government plans to eventually increase cargo handling capacity to 300,000 tonnes per year, as part of broader efforts to expand international trade and develop the Maldives as a logistics link between regional markets.
VIA has also been developing its sea-to-air cargo service in collaboration with Maldives Ports Limited (MPL). Under the model, cargo arriving in the Maldives by sea is transferred to the airport before being flown onwards to international destinations.
The service currently works with 11 airlines, with goods originating from three countries consolidated in the Maldives for onward transportation by air.
Sea-to-air logistics can offer an alternative between conventional sea freight and fully air-based transportation, combining the lower cost of maritime shipping for part of the journey with the speed and international connectivity of air freight for the final leg.
The expansion of transshipment operations has become an increasingly important part of VIA’s cargo strategy, with authorities seeking to use the Maldives’ geographic location and expanding aviation infrastructure to capture a larger share of regional freight movements.
