By Joy Enamuna
The Centre Director of the Centre for Logistics & Transport Education Mr Francis A. Ehiguese has said that the global businesses through the ports accounts for over 70% of goods moved across the world contributes about 41% to the global GDP and employs millions of people.
Speaking at a Conference Organized by CILT Nigeria in a paper with theme: Port Environment and Infrastructure Development, a panacea for Landward Decongestion, Ehiguese said the subsector has led to high level of industrial, commercial and technological revolution across the globe.
According to him, Nigeria being a major player, particularly in the West Africa Region records 76 percent of shipping business within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which comprises sixteen (16) countries.
“About 76% of shipping business carried out in the Region takes place in Nigeria. Again, because Nigeria is rich in natural and agricultural resources and being the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world makes her major destination port for ships”.
Ehiguese stressed that the Seaports Marine transpiration is a crucial link in international trade and the global economy.
According to him sources estimate that 80 percent of global trade by volume and 70 percent by value are transported by sea and arrive at ports around the world.
He said the strategic place of the ports within the maritime industry and beyond is crucial to a level where its absence or malfunctioning can collapse the economy of nations.
According to him the major concern in port-landward interface port management efficiencies coming from intermodal connection that are fraught with intractable problems.
“These are traceable to Road Traffic Congestion (RTC), lack of or inadequate Rail Transport Service (RTS) and weak Inland Waterways Transportation (IWT), especially in Nigeria.
“There are also some ports’ internal issues that directly or indirectly affect or disrupt the logistics chain of freighting services outside the ports. Some of these are none or partial digitization of services, cargo clearance process infractions, inabilities of regulatory authorities to regulate/manage traffic inflow and out flows within the port area and environment.
Ehiguese said Landward activities have the capacity to cause heightened disruptions in many port-related functions and their effects can be massive.
“It must be noted that ports are not island to themselves, they need to interface with other forms of transpiration (road, rail, inlands) and in so doing are able to provide canning services, all in a bid to meet the needs of ship-owners, shippers, and those with connected interests.
A lack of or a weak interface between ports and landward linkages will always result in disruptions of unimaginable magnitudes: Ships delays, cargo longer stay in ships or at berthing/storage areas, operational disconnect at both within and outside the ports.
“As a norm, no port or ports function optimally without putting in place strategies for cargo evacuation and distribution to landward areas, which are the final destination points of goods.
“It must be noted that ports are not island to themselves, they need to interface with other forms of transportation (road, rail, inlands) and in so doing are able to provide connecting services, all in a bid to meet the needs of ship-owners, shippers, and those with connected interests.
“A lack of or a weak interface between ports and landward linkages will always result in disruptions of unimaginable magnitudes: Ships delays, cargo longer stay in ships or at berthing/storage areas, operational disconnect at both within and outside the ports,” he added.
