President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom Tuesday ratified the amendment to the Harbor Tax Act to increase the charge taken from vessels using all harbours in the archipelago.
The amendment was passed by the parliament last Tuesday sitting with 59 lawmakers voting in favour while 13 voted against.
New charges
- Under 200 gross tons: MVR200
- Between 200 to 1000 gross tons: MVR300
- Between 1000 to 2000 gross tons: MVR400
- 2,000 gross tons: MVR 500
- For every additional 500 gross tons after 2,000, MVR 250 will be charged
The amendment allows for modifications to be brought to the entry and docking fee applicable to foreign vessel using any harbor in the Maldives.
Additionally it provides for all outstanding fees to be paid to Maldives Transport Authority within three months of using the harbor.
Under the new amendment, any foreign vessel using the harbor in the Maldives should pay the fees before exiting the country.
The government lawmaker who proposed the amendment had argued that the present port charges was devised years ago and is unsuitable now due to the changes in the price of goods being transported by vessels.
Only vessels registered in the Maldives weighing less than a 1000 gross tons are exempt from this charge.
Charges are collected for the duration that ships remained docked as well. For any vessel that stays between 7 to 45 days would have to pay MVR65 per day.
A fee of MVR100 will be collected from 45 to 90, while MVR150 will be collected from between the 91st day to the 150th.
