MPL digitalization campaign significantly slices operational time

Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) launched a new tech oriented campaign that will digitally transform the logistical aspects of the commercial harbor.

The commercial harbor's managing company revealed that the campaign involves digital integration of key operations MPL.

Moreover, the campaign was launched on Wednesday evening, 30th March, at the CROSSROADS Maldives. The digitalization campaign was officiated by the Minister of Higher Education Mr. Ibrahim Hassan.

MPL declared that acquiring all the necessary documents, permits, and clearing all the other formalities, take up roughly 370 minutes (six hours), which according to the port authority will be reduced to 15 minutes under the digital integration.

Furthermore, MPL had claimed that it started on the digital transformation journey after seeking counsel from experts, relevant authorities, and corporations.

MPL hopes to turn 99 percent of its operations into paper-less transactions by 2023.

In its efforts, MPL further aspires to be listed among the top 20 destinations listed under World Bank's "Ease of Doing Business." Currently, the island nation is ranked 147th in the list.

Meanwhile, MPL speculates that the manual labor in documentation and document handling, still prevalent in the Maldives, are limiting factors. In fact, the port authority contests that the manual documentation aspect has anchored Maldives to its 147th rank.

Digitalization efforts kicked off strongly during the economic repercussions faced amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic's worst impact, MPL was required to ensure worker safety and reduction of physical contact in all of its operations.

MPL has developed and released several applications through which customers are able to acquire its services; which include "Bandharu" and "E-Gate Pass" platforms that have transformed previously manual tasks into digitally acquired services.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner General of Customers Mr. Abdulla Shareef noted that the electronic gate pass acted as a catalyst in speeding up cargo clearance processes.