Shipping Arabia, October 13, 2026 – Morocco’s Port of Casablanca has introduced stricter cargo discharge requirements, warning that vessels failing to meet mandatory handling rates could be ordered to vacate their berths and return to anchorage. The new measures aim to reduce congestion, accelerate cargo handling and limit vessel delays that are increasing costs for importers and shippers.
According to Hespress, two directives, DG-86/2026 and DG-87/2026, have entered into force, establishing minimum cargo discharge rates and a progressive enforcement system. Operators that fail to meet the required productivity levels will receive electronic warnings and have 24 hours to improve performance before facing possible berth removal.
The measures primarily target vessels carrying grain, animal feed and other bulk commodities. Prolonged discharge operations have contributed to berth congestion and the accumulation of vessels awaiting entry, particularly when insufficient landside transport and storage resources delay cargo evacuation.
Casablanca Port Establishes Mandatory Cargo Discharge Rates
Directive DG-86/2026 introduces minimum daily discharge rates for grain and animal feed cargoes, requiring operators to organize sufficient handling resources to maintain the specified productivity levels.
For grain discharged through specialized silos, the mandatory minimum rate is 3,000 metric tons per day for each handling line. At multipurpose berths, vessels carrying grain must achieve a minimum discharge rate of 5,000 metric tons per day per vessel.
The directive also establishes a minimum discharge rate of 4,000 metric tons per day for animal feed cargoes. Operators must mobilize the necessary equipment and logistics resources to comply with these requirements.
The new productivity standards are intended to accelerate vessel turnaround and improve berth availability. They also address delays caused by insufficient arrangements for transferring discharged cargo from the quayside to storage facilities and warehouses.
By establishing minimum handling rates, port management aims to reduce prolonged berth occupancy and improve the movement of vessels awaiting discharge operations.
Vessels Face 24-Hour Warnings and Possible Berth Removal
Directive DG-87/2026 introduces a progressive enforcement mechanism for vessels and operators that fail to comply with the mandatory discharge rates.
Under the new procedures, the port will initially issue an electronic warning to the operator responsible for the affected vessel. The operator will then have 24 hours to improve discharge productivity and meet the required performance standards.
If handling operations fail to improve within that period, port management may order the vessel to leave its berth and return to the offshore anchorage area. This would release the berth for other vessels and help prevent further disruption to cargo handling operations.
Vessels involved in repeated violations may also lose their priority in berth allocation, adding another consequence for operators that consistently fail to maintain the required discharge rates.
Alongside these enforcement measures, the port has tightened its pre-arrival documentation requirements to reduce delays associated with incomplete commercial and customs procedures.
Before a vessel can be scheduled for berthing, operators must submit 100% of the required customs receipts and 50% of the bills of lading.
These requirements aim to ensure that the necessary documentation is available before cargo operations begin, preventing vessels from occupying berths while awaiting the completion of administrative procedures.
Vessel Delays Could Generate Demurrage Costs of $25,000 Daily
Industry sources cited by Hespress linked the stricter discharge requirements to the financial impact of prolonged vessel delays, particularly for ships carrying grain and other bulk commodities.
According to these sources, demurrage charges could range from $20,000 to $25,000 per day once the contractually agreed laytime allowance expires.
For grain carriers experiencing several additional days of waiting, the resulting charges could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the duration of the delay and the applicable charterparty terms.
These expenses add to existing freight, storage and cargo handling costs, increasing the financial burden on importers and shippers. Industry representatives also warned that the additional costs could ultimately affect the final price of imported goods.
The mandatory discharge rates will require closer coordination among importers, stevedoring companies and transport operators. In particular, stakeholders must ensure sufficient truck availability, storage capacity and completion of customs procedures before vessels begin discharging cargo.
Industry sources cautioned that accelerating ship discharge operations without improving the movement of cargo out of the port could create further logistical difficulties.
If warehouses and storage facilities cannot receive cargo at the same pace as vessels discharge it, congestion could shift from the berths to inland storage areas rather than being resolved.
The effectiveness of the new requirements will therefore depend not only on vessel handling productivity but also on the ability of landside logistics operations to accommodate faster cargo flows.
Container Vessel Berthing and Empty Container Movements Also Targeted
The new operational measures also extend to container shipping activities at Casablanca Port.
Port management is seeking to improve container vessel berth allocation by considering vessel lengths and the handling capacities available at individual berths. The objective is to make better use of existing infrastructure and facilitate more efficient vessel movements.
The measures also introduce temporary berthing priority for vessels assigned to export empty containers. This arrangement aims to accelerate the removal of accumulated empty equipment and release additional space within the port.
By facilitating the evacuation of empty containers, the port seeks to reduce pressure on container terminal storage areas and improve cargo handling efficiency.
These arrangements complement the new bulk cargo discharge requirements by addressing congestion across different areas of the port’s operations.
Taken together, the stricter productivity standards, enhanced documentation requirements and revised berth allocation procedures form part of Casablanca Port’s efforts to improve operational efficiency and reduce delays.
However, industry representatives emphasized that the measures must be supported by adequate trucking, warehousing and cargo evacuation capacity to prevent bottlenecks from shifting elsewhere within the logistics chain.
Source: Hespress
