Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has announced an extension to the demurrage-free period for goods kept in open storage at the Male’ Commercial Harbor.
The Board of Directors of MPL decided to increase the duration for which cargo can be stored at the Male’ Commercial Harbor’s open storage area without incurring additional fees.
MPL has implemented changes to the “Free Storage” duration applicable to non-containerized cargo stored in the “Open Storage Area” of the Male’ Commercial Harbor. Previously, the company provided a 5-day demurrage-free period for conventional cargo kept in the open storage area. However, with the newly introduced changes, this period has been extended to 10 days.
MPL clarified that this demurrage-free extension does not apply to perishable goods. The company further noted that this adjustment is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to provide relief to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to address the economic challenges faced by these businesses.
According to MPL, this change will offer significant relief to Maldivian traders, particularly small-scale importers. The new policy will apply to cargo unloaded from vessels arriving at the Male’ Commercial Harbor effective from February 1st. This initiative is a key step in the government’s long-term strategy to strengthen the nation’s economic sector and foster a more conducive environment for businesses.
This decision by MPL follows a meeting held on December 17th last year between President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and representatives from the small and medium business community, where various concerns were raised. In response to these concerns, the President had previously decided to increase the demurrage-free period at Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) from 80 hours to 124 hours. Additionally, it was decided to transition cargo clearance services to a 24-hour operation. These measures have been implemented after carefully considering the grievances and feedback shared by the business community during the said meeting.
