The mayor of a Sicilian port town says he has received approval from Italy's interior ministry to let a Danish-flagged container ship dock with more than 100 migrants aboard.

The Alexander Maersk has remained off the coast of Pozzallo for days after taking part in a rescue Thursday of migrants leaving Libya on smugglers' boats.

Pozzallo Mayor Roberto Ammatuna offered to let the cargo ship dock, but the Italian government had refused to assign it a port until Monday.

Italy's ANSA news agency quoted Ammatuna saying Monday that he was relieved that the "nightmare is over for the 110 migrants on board who can now be welcomed and helped in the best way possible."

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has closed Italy's ports to aid groups that rescue migrants, but the situation of merchant vessels or other naval ships that participate in rescues has been less clear.