Dubai-based developer Nakheel has dismissed reports that The World islands are sinking as “wholly inaccurate.”

The government-owned developer insists that the project, consisting of 300 man-made islands, has not suffered from any subsidence, and that the load-bearing capacity of the development is about twice that of mainland Dubai.

Nakheel also rejected reports that some of the islands have slipped and merged into each other. They say, “The islands at the centre of The World were merged purposely to create land for specific developments, and the shape of other islands was changed at the request of owners.”