Across Maldives 2026—A Journey Beneath the Surface

Some journeys are measured in miles. Others are measured in resolve.

In 2026, the Maldives unfolds into the terrain for one of the most demanding ocean endurance missions ever attempted. Announced by Visit Maldives Corporation and organized by NGO Ocean Six Fifty as an official record attempt under the Visit Maldives Book of Records, Across Maldives 2026 is not a sightseeing expedition, nor a symbolic swim between islands. It is a sustained, high-risk underwater traversal across the heart of the country, shaped as much by the diver as by the ocean he moves through, with human skill and engineered systems operating as one.

The Mission

Launching on January 23, 2026, Across Maldives 2026  will be a continuous underwater expedition across three major atolls in the central Maldives.

• Route: Lhaviyani Atoll to Vaavu Atoll

• Total Distance: 450+ kilometres (approx. 280 miles)

• Duration: 15+ days of intensive diving

The expedition begins at Kuredu Resort in Lhaviyani Atoll, moving south through North and South Malé Atolls, and concluding in Vaavu Atoll. Depending on ocean conditions, additional transits through Baa Atoll and Ari Atoll may be incorporated.

The Human Submarine

At the centre of the mission is Shafraz Naeem—a diver with nearly 30 years of experience underwater. A former military diving instructor with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), he served for close to 15 years, training the Maldivian Coast Guard, Special Forces, and Marines.Throughout his career, he has operated in high-pressure environments with mastery in instructing divers at every level, and undertaking extended underwater missions.

Professional profile at a glance:

• Nearly 30 years of diving experience

• Former MNDF military diving instructor

• Trained Coast Guard, Special Forces, and Marines

• Certified technical diver and instructor (PADI, SSI, TDI/SDI)

• Only Maldivian SSI Instructor Trainer

• Award-winning underwater photographer

• Equipment brand ambassador (Fourth Element, Dive Systems UK)

In 2022, he set an Asian regional record with a 50-hour continuous scuba dive, marking the 50th anniversary of Maldivian tourism. He is also a co-founder of Ocean Six Fifty, using extreme diving initiatives to promote ocean stewardship and address plastic pollution.

Across Maldives 2026, Shafraz will complete 55+ dives, spend 90+ hours submerged, and traverse over 450 kilometres across three atolls using a Diver Propulsion Vehicle. The expedition also stands as a personal tribute to his late father, who once believed his son would one day dive the length of the country.

Records on the Line

Across Maldives 2026 is designed as a benchmark expedition.

Shafraz is attempting to secure two official titles for the Visit Maldives Book of Records:

1. Longest distance covered in open ocean on a single DPV dive

2. Longest distance covered using a DPV within a one-month period

These records are not incidental. They are the structural backbone of the mission, defining its pace, logistics, and risk envelope.

The Technology

Surviving 90 hours underwater, that feat would come down to more than just endurance, it will demand precision engineering.

DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle): Shafraz is using the Seacraft Ghost 2000, a high-performance underwater scooter capable of long-range travel exceeding 30 kilometres per charge, with operating speeds of up to 1.6 m/s.

Sidemount Rebreather System: Unlike traditional scuba, the rebreather recycles exhaled gas, allowing extended underwater duration without constant bubble release. This dramatically increases efficiency, reduces decompression strain, and enables multi-hour transits that would otherwise be impossible.

This transcends recreational apparatuses to a state of the art expedition-grade diving operation. 

The Support Team

No endurance mission exists in isolation, a squad that has the know-how to back you up is crucial.

Across Maldives 2026 is supported by a specialized team led by:

• Chief Technical Support Diver: Donarun Das

• Photographer & Visual Documentation: Saeed Rashid

The team manages safety protocols, dive planning, logistics, and documentation across the entire 450-kilometre route—both above and below the surface. In addition, scheduled stopovers across selected islands provide critical support, coordinated with local councils, partner resorts, and island-based operators along the route.

More Than a Record Attempt

This mission is not driven by accolades alone. There are layers to it that go deeper than meets the eye. 

Along the route, the team will collect environmental data on microplastics and coral reef health, contributing firsthand observations from one of the longest continuous underwater traverses ever attempted in the Maldives.

Across Maldives 2026 acts as a force multiplier bringing all the decades of expertise along with the various precision engineering that paved the way to the disciplined endurance Shafraz breathes into a single continuous mission beneath the waves. Every dive, every kilometre, and every choice is shaped by skill, purpose, and the legacy that drives Shafraz forward, turning this expedition into an unprecedented journey across the heart of the Maldives that advances understanding of the ocean as it unfolds. Image courtesy of Visit Maldives