The Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has given dockers a seven-day period to re-register with them, in order to continue providing services at capital city Malé’s principal port.

MPL, the state-operated company given full authority of said port, said this in a statement on Wednesday night, where they said dockers who fail to re-register will have their permits terminated.

MPL said that this decision, which comes at a time of dispute over a recent arrangement restricting delivery in Malé, was made with the intention of ‘protecting the rights’ of local businesses and consumers.

This week, dockers handling cargo brought to the port in containers went on strike after the Economic Ministry restricted delivery in Malé to the hours between 18:00 and 06:00. They expressed concern that carrying out operations during the night presents hosts of difficulties.

Dockers concluded their two-day strike having made the decision to double the prices of their services. While this caused concern that prices of goods might become inflated, the government has unconventionally tackled this.

The Economic Ministry, in accordance with Minister Mohamed Saeed’s pledge at a recent conference that prices will not increase as a result of this, controlled the prices of their services.

The maximum price at which dockers can strip and handle 20-foot containers is now limited to MVR 2,500 and the price of carrying cargo off of a 40-foot container is limited to MVR 5,000. These prices do not include charges for handling sheet glass.