Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) CEO Mohamed Wajeeh Ibrahim has announced a significant change in the storage policy at the Male' Commercial Harbor. Currently, businesses benefit from a 10-day free storage period for their goods after containers arrive. However, due to overwhelming congestion, with over 5,000 containers stored at a port designed for around 2,000, this period will be cut to five days. Reefer containers with cold goods will now have a storage limit of seven days.
CEO Mohamed Wajeeh Ibrahim noted that ships often face delays in unloading due to lack of space, and these adjustments aim to streamline the cargo clearance process. In addition to these policy changes, the government is working on relocating the commercial harbor to Thilafushi, which involves reclaiming around 100 hectares of land, with 20 hectares already secured. This initiative is expected to enhance harbor services and further alleviate congestion in the future.