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4,000 Maldivian containers stuck in Malaysia with goods for Ramadan

Malika Shahid
24 March 2022, MVT 12:53
[File] Containers placed in Male' Port area: It will take more than a month to bring containers stuck in Malaysia to Maldives --Photo: Mihaaru
Malika Shahid
24 March 2022, MVT 12:53

More than 4,000 containers of goods to be brought to the Maldives from the Middle East and Europe have been stuck in transit at The Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.

An official from the shipping industry told Mihaaru that goods were stuck at the port after France's shipping line, CMA CGM, reduced the size of the vessel travelling to the region. He said that although the shipping line had previously made a stop in the Maldives while traveling to East Africa, the shipping line's vessel has changed their route and will not be stopping in the Maldives henceforth. The goods for the Maldives will now be transferred to Malaysia's port.

Malaysia has a transshipment port. The goods placed at the port will then have to be brought to the Maldives via another shipping line that travels to the Maldives after being docked at Sri Lanka' port. Costs are likely to increase due difficulties present in bringing goods this way.

"Earlier, a larger CMA boat was used. A cargo vessel travelling from Malaysia to East Africa makes a stop in the Maldives to unload goods. However, they have recently changed the route for this vessel to the United States, while a smaller vessel will be travelling to this region. The vessel does not come to the Maldives and travels directly from Malaysia to Africa. Hence the goods for the Maldives had to be unloaded at the Malaysian port.," said a person who did not want their identity revealed.

He said that the containers currently stuck in Malaysia include food items brought especially for Ramadan, as well as construction materials and medical supplies. It has been two months since the containers of some companies were stuck.

"The container will have to be transported to Sri Lanka and brought to the Maldives from Colombo. But there is no boat with the capacity to bring in 4,000 containers within a month. In addition to the goods currently brought from a weekly boat from Sri Lanka, only 150 extra containers can be delivered per trip."

The 4,000 containers will be transported to Sri Lanka and it will take more than a month for all containers to be brought to the Maldives. Therefore, he said, he does not expect the goods to be received during Ramadan. He said that this could contribute to the reason why the price of goods may increase during the month of Ramadan.

This issue will not be resolved in April. But as so many goods are stuck, the price of existing goods will rise

Businesses have said that the prices of goods are predicted to increase during the month of Ramadan due to various reasons. This includes the increase in the price of goods in the international market and the increase in the cost of importing goods due to the change in the price of oil.

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