Utilization of Cargo Handling Facilities in Nigerian Seaports

Cargo handling operations are critical to port efficiency. Optimal utilization of cargo handling capacity is a challenge facing most ports in Nigeria and this has had an adverse effect on port operation (i.e.？ship and cargo operation). This paper assessed the extent of utilization of cargo handling facilities and infrastructure performance in Nigerian ports. It applied the UNCTAD’s model of？indicators of port facility service and utilization to examine usage of facilities &？infrastructure as well as significant constraining factors in six ports namely: Apapa, Tincan, Rivers, Onne, Delta and Calabar ports. The secondary data for the study comprised cargo and vessel throughputs handled in the ports, number of facilities & infrastructure and berth performance measures for the period？between years 2006？and 2017. These were augmented with primary data on factors affecting port facility utilization obtained through copies questionnaires administered to a random sample of port users. Our Empirical findings using statistical models showed that on the average, vessels that called for service in the ports spent one and half day before being allocated to berths; spent four days (4) at berth and a total of six (6) days at the port before sailing outwards. In terms of berth utilization for all ports, we found that berths were on average, fourty-eight percent (48%) occupied during the study period. When disaggregated by respective ports,？berth vacancy rates were higher in Delta ports and？Calabar ports in comparison to others; while Apapa, Rivers and Tincan ports ha