What is the minimum order quantity?

Maurimar's minimum order is one 20-foot reefer container, equivalent to roughly 18–22 tons depending on caliber and packaging. Smaller trial volumes are available for first-time partners on a case-by-case basis.

Which incoterms does Maurimar work with?

Maurimar ships under FOB as standard. Other incoterms can be arranged on request, depending on the destination port and the buyer's logistics setup.

What is your typical lead time?

From confirmed order, Maurimar's typical lead time is two to four weeks. Lead time varies with caliber availability, destination port, and the agreed incoterm.

What payment terms do you accept?

Maurimar accepts irrevocable letter of credit at sight as the standard payment method, with bank-transfer terms available for repeat partners. Specific terms are agreed during the quote process.

Can buyers visit the operations?

Yes — Maurimar welcomes prospective and existing partners to visit the port, the processing facility, and the cold-storage operations in Nouadhibou. Visits are coordinated through the Schedule a Visit form and typically last from a half-day to two days.

What makes Fresh Frozen Japan Quality different from Iced?

Fresh Frozen Japan Quality octopus is caught and frozen on the same day to the criteria demanded by the Japanese sashimi market, while Iced octopus is held on ice for one to three days before freezing. Both grades are export-quality; the Japan Quality grade carries stricter sensory and visual standards.

What sizes do you offer?

Maurimar offers seven calibers, following the West-African export scheme: T1 covers pieces over 4 kg and T7 covers pieces in the 0.5 – 0.8 kg range, with five grades in between. Mixed-caliber containers can be loaded on request.

What is the Tenderized Treatment (also known as "Flower")?

The Tenderized Treatment — known industry-side as Flower (English rendering of the French fleur) — is whole octopus that has been mechanically tenderized to break down muscle fibers, producing a more supple texture after cooking and a characteristic splayed, petal-like presentation of the tentacles. The treatment is offered as an option on both Fresh Frozen Japan Quality and Iced product.

Do you ship IQF or block-frozen?

Maurimar ships both IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) and block-frozen product. The choice depends on the destination market — IQF is common for retail and food service, block freezing is preferred by some processors and re-packers.

What is the shelf life of frozen Maurimar octopus?

Held at −18 °C or below, Maurimar's frozen octopus carries a 24-month shelf life from the freezing date. Each carton bears the freezing date and caliber code.

How does Maurimar ensure traceability?

Every batch is tagged at the boat with catch date and catch zone, then carried through the factory and into the export container under full documentation. Maurimar can trace any case of finished product back to the boat that landed the catch within minutes.

What certifications does Maurimar hold?

Maurimar operates under the standards of the Office Nationale d'Inspection Sanitaire des Produits de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture (ONISPA) and holds the export-grade health certification required to ship into Japan, the European Union, and the Middle East. Specific certificate numbers are shared during the qualification process.

How is quality controlled?

Quality is checked at four points: on the boat at the time of capture, at landing on the dock, during processing in the factory, and again before container loading. Sensory evaluation and visual grading are performed by trained QC staff against documented criteria.

How is the cold chain maintained?

Catch is moved from the port to the processing facility under continuous cold chain. Frozen product is held at −18 °C or below and is loaded directly into reefer containers with continuous temperature logging through to the destination port.

Does Maurimar own its fishing fleet?

Yes. Maurimar operates its own artisanal fleet, fishing the Atlantic off Nouadhibou with hand-line and traditional pot methods. The company does not source from industrial trawlers.

What fishing methods does Maurimar use?

Maurimar's fleet uses hand-line and traditional pot fishing — small-boat artisanal techniques that target octopus selectively without bottom trawling.

How does Maurimar support the local community?

Maurimar employs and trains crews, processing staff, and QC technicians from the Nouadhibou region, with wages and working conditions aligned to Mauritanian labour standards and the company's own internal policy.

Which countries does Maurimar export to?

Maurimar exports to Japan, the European Union (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal), the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia), and selected markets in Asia and Africa. New destinations are evaluated based on the destination port's import requirements.

How is product shipped?

Maurimar ships in 20-foot and 40-foot reefer containers from the Port of Nouadhibou or Nouakchott. The choice of port depends on the destination, sailing schedule, and incoterm.

What documents come with each shipment?

Each shipment ships with the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, health certificate, bill of lading, and any destination-specific documents required by the importing country. Documents are issued in English.

What does Japan Quality or sashimi-grade mean in practice?

Japan Quality at Maurimar means the octopus was caught and frozen the same day, graded by hand against strict sensory and visual criteria — colour, firmness, tentacle integrity, and absence of bruising. It is held to a stricter standard than the Iced grade.

What packaging options are available?

Maurimar packs in standard polyethylene-lined master cartons at a net weight of 30 kg for both IQF and block-frozen product. Private-label packaging, custom-branded printing, and buyer-specified inner units are available on request, subject to minimum order quantity. Every carton is labelled with freezing date, caliber code, treatment, and net weight.

How quickly do you respond to a quote request?

Maurimar responds to every qualified quote request within 24 business hours. The quote is prepared by a dedicated account manager who handles the relationship from first contact through delivery.

Is my data confidential?

Yes. Information submitted through Maurimar's quote and visit forms is used only to respond to the inquiry and is never shared with third parties. The company's privacy notice details data handling.

Our process

From the Atlantic to the container, in six controlled steps.

Every container Maurimar ships passes through the same chain. Each step is operated or supervised by Maurimar, documented, and quality-checked — from the moment the line touches the water to the moment the reefer seal is locked at Nouadhibou.

Six steps, one chain of custody.

Every container Maurimar ships goes through the same six-step chain. The chain starts the moment a hand-line touches the water and ends when the reefer container's seal is locked at Port of Nouadhibou.

Each step has documented quality checkpoints. Skipping one is not an option — the chain is the product.

Capture

Atlantic, hand-line, no trawling.

Maurimar's artisanal fleet fishes the Atlantic off Nouadhibou using hand-line and pot methods — selective techniques that target octopus without bottom trawling. Each vessel logs its catch zone and the day's haul, opening the chain of custody before the fish reaches port.

Catch zone recorded
Day-haul log kept
Chain of custody opened

Selection

Sorted on the boat, before it lands.

On-board crews sort the catch by visible condition and approximate caliber while still at sea. Non-conforming product is rejected at this first sensory check. The selected catch is iced and prepared for landing — separating quality grades early, before the warmer dock environment has a chance to influence the product.

First sensory check on board
Non-conforming product removed
Selected catch iced

Transport

Continuous cold chain to the facility.

Catch lands at the Port of Nouadhibou and moves directly under continuous cold chain to Maurimar's Zone Franche processing facility. Time-from-landing is logged. Cold-chain temperature is monitored end-to-end. The shorter and colder this leg, the better the texture and presentation that survive into the final product.

Landing time logged
Cold chain temperature monitored
Time-to-facility tracked

Processing

Cleaned, head-emptied, sized T1 to T7.

At the facility, octopus is cleaned, head-emptied, and graded into seven calibers from T1 (over 4 kg) to T7 (around 0.5 to 0.8 kg). Treatments — Whole, Tenderized Treatment, or Custom — are routed at this point. Every batch keeps its boat-of-origin reference through processing.

Seven calibers T1 to T7 graded
Treatment routing confirmed
Catch record maintained

Freezing

IQF or block, −18 °C and below.

Product is frozen IQF or in blocks to −18 °C and below, in line with the destination market specification. Core temperatures are verified before pack-out; freezer logs are kept on file. The freezing method is chosen with the buyer based on caliber, treatment, and intended preparation.

Core temperature verified
Freezer log maintained
IQF or block per buyer spec

Export

Reefer container, full documentation.

Frozen product is loaded into 20-foot or 40-foot reefer containers under temperature-controlled conditions. The shipment leaves Port of Nouadhibou — or Nouakchott when the destination requires it — with the full export document set: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, health certificate, and bill of lading.

Full document set issued
Reefer temperature locked
Container seal logged

Fishing calendar

Two peak seasons. Twelve months of supply.

The Atlantic off Nouadhibou supports two active fishing windows each year. Maurimar holds frozen stock between them so your supply chain is never constrained by the calendar. Buyers who commit at season open secure priority pricing and first pick of caliber.

Winter

Summer

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec 1 – Apr 30

Jul 1 – Oct 30

Winter Season

Dec 1 – Apr 30

5 months

Cold Canary Current drives large-caliber specimens to depth. Peak availability for T1–T4. Historically the primary export window for Japan and premium EU markets.

Summer Season

Jul 1 – Oct 30

4 months

Second active fishing window. Consistent quality across all calibers; T3–T6 mix is strong. Good availability for food service and processing buyers.

Year-Round from Stock

January – December

Always available

Between seasons (May–Jun, Nov), Maurimar fills orders from deep-frozen reserve. Same caliber grading, same ONISPA certification, same documentation set.

Early-season commitment = priority pricing

Buyers who place orders before catch volume is confirmed get first pick of caliber and the best seasonal rates. Contact us at season open to discuss forward booking.

Frequently asked

Buyer questions, answered straight.

Now ask for a quote — or come see it run.

Request a quote Schedule a visit