The Port of Dakar (PAD) has granted an exceptional three-month waiver of storage, demurrage and detention charges on stranded Malian goods.
The measure took effect on October 9 and also extends the free detention period to 60 days for new containers delivered during that time.
Malian operators with goods stranded at the Port of Dakar will benefit from a full waiver of storage, demurrage and detention charges for three months, the Malian Shippers’ Council (CMC) announced.
The measure follows negotiations between Senegalese port stakeholders and Malian consular chambers, led by the CMC. It was formalised in a PAD notice dated October 9, when the waiver came into effect.
Refrigerated containers and goods requiring loading or unloading directly alongside a vessel are excluded from the arrangement.
For containers delivered during the three-month period, the free detention period has been extended to 60 days.
The CMC urged economic operators and freight forwarders to speed up the removal of affected containers and the evacuation of newly arrived goods to prevent another backlog at the port.
A similar measure was granted in late 2025 for Malian goods held up in Dakar. It helped reduce the stock of Malian containers at DP World from 2,086 on November 26 to 939 on December 22, according to figures published by the CMC at the time.
A deadline of February 20, 2026, was subsequently set to complete their removal.
The new measure comes as the Dakar–Bamako corridor remains a key supply route for Mali. According to World Bank data, about 60% of Mali’s foreign trade passes through this route, which normally carries nearly 1,000 heavy goods vehicles a day.
Since attacks were reported in western Mali in April, some traffic has been diverted to a more southerly route through Kédougou, Saraya and Moussala.
The return of empty containers also remains a concern for transport operators. In February, the CMC reported that more than 4,000 empty containers were stranded in Mali before issuing a fresh call in August for their return to shipping companies.
MD/te/Sf/lb/as/APA