The Autonomous Port of Dakar has decided to waive storage, demurrage and container detention charges on Malian cargo stranded at its quays for three months, from October 9, 2026, to January 9, 2027, according to the Malian Shippers Council.
In a statement issued on October 13, the council said the detention-free period would be extended to 60 days for containers delivered while the measure is in force. Refrigerated containers and cargo to be loaded under hook are excluded. The council urged freight forwarders, licensed customs brokers and businesses to clear immobilised containers quickly to prevent cargo from building up again in the port's storage yards.
The decision follows negotiations between the Senegalese port authorities and Malian business chambers. The Port of Dakar had already waived similar charges on an exceptional basis in November 2025, after nearly 2,500 containers bound for Mali were held up by disruption on the Dakar-Bamako corridor. That measure ended on February 24, 2026.
Dakar is the main maritime outlet for Mali's trade: the landlocked country depends on its neighbours' ports for its imports.
