The Dakar Port Authority and Dubai Port World have made a gesture in favor of Malian importers. They have agreed to suspend storage penalty fees from August 1 to October 20, 2023.

In a copy of a letter sent to the Conseil Malien des Chargeurs (CMC), the Port Autonome de Dakar (PAD) and Dubai Port World (DPW) have accepted a major grievance of their Malian partners.

They have agreed to cancel or suspend warehousing penalties on full containers of import dry goods, present in the terminal and without DPW delivery and which will be removed during the aforementioned period. This measure runs from August 1 to October 2, 2023. During this time, the letter states, customers are invited to accelerate the formalities for the removal of their containers.

This measure, which can be seen from a commercial point of view as a charm or marketing offensive, is one of the many grievances of Malian economic operators. Under the banner of the Conseil Malien des Chargeurs (CMC), a large mission was in Dakar from July 19 to 23, 2023 on behalf of the trade and transport sector.

During this mission, the delegation led by CMC Chairman Bakissima Sylla, and including Jean Dakoua, CMC Vice-Chairman, and Souleymane Baba Traoré, President of the Federation of Authorized Customs Forwarders of Mali (Fetram), among others, held talks on grievances with authorities from the Autonomous Port of Dakar, Dubai Port World, the Senegalese Ministry of Transport, shipowners and others.

À cette occasion, les partenaires portuaires ont entrepris de répondre à un grand nombre des préoccupations soulevées. En conséquence, certains d'entre eux ont reçu un retour d'information favorable immédiatement après la mission. Il s'agit par exemple de l'ouverture de guichets Orange Money pour mettre fin à la lenteur du paiement des factures des compagnies maritimes.

The provision suspending storage penalties on full containers for more than two months was also among these grievances.

Abdrahamane Dicko : Mali Tribune