Across Maldives: 2 World Record Dive Attempts
Donation protected
Event Overview
Official Event Website: www.acrossmaldives.org
OceanSixFifty Website: www.oceansixfifty.org
Shaff Naeem, the Asian record holder for the 50-hour dive in 2022, officially announced at the Malaysia Dive Expo in June 2024 that his next record attempt will be an extreme long-distance dive across the Maldives, officially. The expedition will start from the northernmost tip of Haa Alif Atoll, and span all the way to the southern edge of Seenu Atoll.
The event is designed in two phases:
Phase 1: Malé Region World Record Event (February 2025)
Shaff and his team will be doing a single dive from Hulhumale to Malé covering a minimum of 14 km to reach the world record.
Phase 2: Main Across Maldives Event (2026)
Shaff and the team will be traveling from the Northern tip to the Southern tip covering 460 km within a month.
Shaff will be accompanied by a technical team of both locals and internationals, who will support his expedition and dives. Additionally, the team will also be collecting scientific research data about the underwater terrain, the effects of climate change (including temperature collection at each point), and the presence of microplastics in the Maldivian ocean ecosystem. There will be planned events and workshops on local islands across the route, where the team will raise awareness about the ocean, climate change and their findings through the journey.
With the project garnering the attention of both local and global partners, the event team is closely working with the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Defence and Maldives Police Services to plan the dive route for a safe and secure expedition. The event is being promoted internationally by the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC), to engage as large a reach as possible, and to ensure that the beauty of the Maldives is properly showcased throughout. The event has also been featured in multiple dive magazines internationally.
Route Map
Event Goals and Fund Utilization
We are currently raising funds for Phase 1 of the project. All funds raised for the project will be used to support the key goals listed below:
- World Record Attempts: The funds raised would primarily be used to help organize the world record dive events, including securing gear, event organizing and logistics.
- Research Expedition: The event being the first-of-its-kind, presents unique opportunities to collect ocean data from across the entire country. We are working with international and local partners to identify key data that can be collected which will be openly made available for public use. Some of the areas of data collection include Environmental DNA sampling, Microplastics and Coral Reef Health.
- Community Engagement Sessions: The event is planned to engage local communities of each atoll with side events — educating, inspiring and encouraging them to understand and engage with the ocean.
- Event Documentary: Production is already underway on a documentary covering the journey of this historic attempt, currently planned for a 2026 release.
Tokens of Appreciation
As tokens of appreciation, we would like to offer the following to our generous supporters.
CHF 100:
- On-screen credits in the event documentary.
CHF 200
- On-screen credits in the event documentary.
- Event Keychain
- Event Tshirt
CHF 500
- On-screen credits in the event documentary.
- Event Keychain
- Event Tshirt
- Special underwater photo with a note of thanks.
CHF 1000
- On-screen credits in the event documentary.
- Event Keychain
- Event Tshirt
- Special underwater photo with a personalized note of thanks.
- Official Across Maldives Coffee Table Photobook.
CHF 2000
- On-screen credits in the event documentary.
- Event Keychain
- Event Tshirt
- Special underwater photo with a personalized note of thanks.
- Official Across Maldives Coffee Table Photobook.
- Special expedition limited token which travels across the Maldives with the team.
Statement from Shaff:
Pushing limits has always been something that I strive for. It is in the moments when we are pushed to our limits, that we discover the true extent of our spirit’s endurance and the boundless capacity of our will to transcend the ordinary. Across Maldives is set to be a journey I will have to push harder than ever before, and it is a very personal journey for me as well. One of the last things my father said to me before he passed, was that he wouldn’t be surprised if I dived all across the Maldives. This attempt is something I am dedicating to him. I sincerely thank you all for your support in making this journey a reality.
- SHAFF
Organizer
Shafraz Naeem
Organizer
Oberrohrdorf, AG