The Maldives Customs Service (MCS) has released its "Time Release Study 2025," revealing that it now takes an average of 10 days to complete clearance processes for goods being shipped abroad.
The comprehensive study examines the entire export timeline, measuring from the submission of customs declarations to the departure of ships from Maldivian ports.
According to the report, the average time for shipping goods by sea stands at 10 days, 10 hours, and 14 minutes. The breakdown reveals that the assessment phase—from declaration submission to completion—takes around 15 hours and six minutes, followed by an additional 17 hours and 31 minutes for payment processing. Offshore requests require one day, 16 hours, and 55 minutes, while offshore approval adds another 1 day, 9 hours, and 47 minutes.
Inspections mandated by various government agencies average 1 day, 9 hours, and 35 minutes, while booking form approval takes roughly 1 day, 13 hours, and 57 minutes. Perhaps most significantly, the study identifies the loading and departure stage as the longest in the entire chain, consuming 2 days, 12 hours, and 3 minutes.
MCS noted that these findings will be instrumental in identifying opportunities to reduce shipping times through administrative reforms and enhanced digital systems.