Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has announced a series of revisions to the docking space allocation system at Malé North Harbour, set to take effect on 14 March.

These measures are intended to streamline the existing procedures for assigning berths to cargo and passenger vessels and to improve overall operational efficiency at the site.

Under the updated regulations, vessels may register in the docking queue immediately upon departing the harbour, provided they have settled the necessary quay fees. The new system introduces specific protocols for vessels that are unresponsive when space becomes available.

If a vessel in the A-zone or C-zone queues fails to approach the quay within two hours of being contacted or does not respond to communications, it will be placed on a temporary "hold" status. During this time, the harbour office will proceed to contact the next vessels in the queue to ensure continuous use of available space.

Vessels on hold can only be reinstated to the queue once they have entered the Greater Malé region and the operators have formally requested the North Harbour office to lift the hold.

MPL emphasised that the responsibility for this request lies entirely with the vessel’s management. Following an "unhold" request, a vessel will be contacted if space becomes available after a two-hour window. If the vessel again fails to arrive or respond, the allocation may be postponed. This postponement is permitted up to three times; a fourth failure to comply will result in the vessel’s complete removal from the queue.

Distinct rules apply to the express queue, which does not allow for holds or postponements. When a docking space becomes available in this category, the designated vessel is granted a four-hour window to arrive, during which quay charges will apply. Failure to dock within this timeframe leads to immediate removal from the queue.

Additionally, MPL clarified that vessels in the A-zone and C-zone may remain on hold for a maximum of five days (120 hours) before being removed. The company reiterated that the responsibility for timely registration, re-registration after cancellation, and managing "hold" statuses rests with the vessel operators.