The grace period for UAE Maritime Pre-Load Cargo Information (MPCI) filings has been extended until September 30, 2026. The announcement was issued by the National Advance Information Center (NAIC), the authority responsible for MPCI.
The extension is intended to give industry stakeholders additional time to reach full compliance, improve data quality, and align operational processes with the published MPCI requirements.
The filing requirement has not changed
MPCI filings continue to be required for every containerized shipment destined for, transiting through, or transshipping via the UAE. The published filing rules remain in force, and NAIC has confirmed that stakeholders are expected to continue making reasonable efforts to comply throughout the extended period.
The extension applies to the enforcement approach, not to the filing obligation.
Interim enforcement approach
Until September 30, 2026, NAIC will operate under the following interim enforcement approach:
- Only Acceptance (ACT) responses will be issued. Requests for Information (RFI) and Do Not Load (DNL) responses are temporarily suspended
- No penalties, violations, or enforcement actions will be applied in relation to late filings during this period
- The same approach applies to vessel route changes, and to shipments identified later in the journey as destined for, transiting through, or transshipping via the UAE
- Data quality and accuracy issues will be addressed directly with the relevant entities through engagement and corrective actions, rather than through the issuance of violations
Implications for carriers, forwarders, and NVOCCs
The extension does not reduce the requirement to file. Every UAE-bound and UAE-transiting container remains within scope of MPCI.
Organizations that begin filing now will reach September 30 with operational questions already resolved, including filing ownership, origin data alignment, partner readiness, and status visibility. Organizations that defer activity until closer to the deadline will face a compressed readiness window once the interim approach ends.
The extended period also offers a constructive route to resolve data quality issues. NAIC has indicated that such issues will be addressed through engagement during this period, rather than through formal violations. This provides an opportunity to surface and correct data gaps before enforcement resumes.
Recommended actions during the extended grace period
- Confirm internal responsibility for MPCI filing
- Align with origin partners and shippers on required shipment data
- Review documentation and data availability against the published filing timeframes
- Begin live submissions and confirm filing status visibility across operations
- Use the extended period to resolve data quality issues through engagement, rather than carry them into enforcement
Carrier enforcement is already in place
A separate point warrants attention. Ocean carriers are beginning to enforce MPCI compliance independently of the NAIC grace period. Several carriers are now requiring filing confirmation before accepting bookings or accepting cargo for loading, regardless of the NAIC grace period. For forwarders and NVOCCs, this means commercial enforcement is already in effect. Filings that are late, incomplete, or unconfirmed can hold up bookings while NAIC’s enforcement measures remain relaxed.
Cargofiling MPCI support
Cargofiling has been filing cargo security data since 2002. 37 countries. 600,000+ filings each month. Our MPCI solution is live and in production, supported by a global team across our offices worldwide. Wherever your origin operations sit, our people are on hand to work through filing scenarios, address questions, and ensure submissions are processed correctly.
Contact
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