Harnessing the Environment of Maritime Transport and Port Logistics Sector in the Management of Covid-19 Pandemic

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic led to huge loss of human and material Capital and adversely affected the economies of nations. The fight against the spread has been serious and strategically coordinated and implemented across major Countries; but exposure to its spread has continued to raise fears about the possibility of achieving total eradication. Public health experts opine that the disease may not totally go away soon, and as such, society should learn to live with it as the new normal. The study thus evaluated the influence of harnessing the built environment of maritime transport and logistics sector in the management of exposure to spread of the disease. It identified the various components of the built environment types in the maritime transport sub-sector that represent potential nodes of maritime workers exposure to the spread of Covid-19 as well as the Covid-19 infective pathways in the maritime sub-sector and analyzed the risk of exposure each infective pathway and node poses to the exposure to Covid-19 spread. It also identified and analyzed the risk management approaches to be employed in limiting exposure to the disease in the maritime and port logistics sector in Nigeria

An Analysis for Reduction in Economic Loss from Damage Accident in Use of Transport Modes: A Comparative Study

One way in which the use of mechanized transport has negatively affected the economy of nations is the devaluation and destruction of properties and investment worth through damage accident. Damage accident in this case refers to accidents that caused economic losses through destruction of properties and investments involved. The study analyzed the economic loss due to damage accident and the trend in maritime and road transport modes. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of damage accident on the Nigeria economy and to compare the trend of the economic cost of damage accident between the two modes. The insurance award approach used by Hopkins et al. (1991) was  used to determine the economic loss of damage accident in both modes while regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of damage accident cost in both modes of transport from 2001 to 2010 on the Gross Domestic Product of the transport sector (GDP transport) over the same period. Descriptive statistics was also employed and the difference of means of damage accident economic cost in both modes, determined. The null hypotheses were tested using T-test. It was found that while the economic cost of damage accident of the road transport mode has a significant impact on the Gross domestic Product of the transport sector (GDP transport), that of the maritime transport mode has no significant impact on the  GDP  transport. The quantitative relationships between damage accident economic losses of both modes of transport were also established. The researcher recommended that funding of transport safety and accident reduction programmes should be treated as investment by stakeholders, and not as an expenditure in which case stakeholders try to avoid the expenditure, leading to increase in damage accident cases. Also such funding for transport safety and accident reduction programmes should be target based. Key words: Analysis, Reduction ,  Economic, Loss,  Damage Accident,  Use, Transport, Modes

Modeling the Qualitative Relationship among Risks Associated with Occupational and Workplace Hazards in Seaport Environments: the Case of Apapa Port, Nigeria

The aim of the research is to establish the quantitative relationship and impacts of risks associated with various categories of occupational and workplace hazards in the Nigerian seaports. It was carried out by obtaining time series statistical data of 7 years from hazard identification and risk assessment report of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Apapa, western port headquarters. The variables considered are the associated risks of various types of occupational and workplace hazards to which seaport workers were exposed from 2009-2014. The overall level of associated risks of occupational and workplace hazards represent the cumulative of various hazards and were treated as the dependent variable ‘Y’. The exposures to the risks of mechanical hazards, ergonomic hazards, physical hazards, noise/environmental hazards were symbolized as X1, X2, X3, and X4 respectively and treated as independent variables. The method of multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the time series data. T-test was used to test the hypotheses. It was found that risks associated to mechanical hazard, ergonomic hazards, noise/vibration hazard, physical hazards, all have significant impact on the overall level of risk of exposure to occupational and workplace hazards in Nigerian seaport environment. It was recommended that proactive investment in safety inspective and management system is needed to limit the level of exposure of seaport staff to occupational hazards

Oil Exploration and Production Waste Management Practices: Comparative Analysis for Reduction in Hazardous E & P Waste Generation in Offshore Oil Platforms in Nigeria

One way in which oil exploration and production (E & P) has negatively impacted the environment of the host oil bearing communities is by the generation of hazardous E & P wastes and its’ unwholesome disposal. The study analyzed oil exploration and production waste generation in offshore platforms and the management procedures and practices in Nigeria. The aim of the study was to determine the quantities of different forms of E & P waste being generated from offshore platforms so as to bring about a reduction in hazardous E & P waste generation in offshore platforms by using technology to recycle it into useful products. The study also assessed the effect of increase in years of usage (aging) of oil production platforms on the quantity of E & P waste produced in the platforms. The case study approach was adopted, in which 6 offshore platforms of Total E & P Nigeria Limited were used as case studies and statistical data on E & P waste generation in the platforms were collected from 2010 – 2013, spanning a 4- year period. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical method was employed in analyzing the data and F – Test was used to test the significance of the null hypotheses. The test showed the acceptance of null hypothesis, H0A and the rejection of null hypothesis H0B, and the conclusion that increase in usage years (Aging) of offshore oil platforms does not cause a significant difference in the quantity of E & P waste generation in the platforms. It was recommended among other things that modern waste recycling technology be adopted by stakeholders and continuously improved upon, to convert hazardous and other forms of E & P wastes into useful products. Keywords: oil exploration, production waste, analysis, reduction, hazardous waste, generation, Nigeria

EVALUATION of INTERCITY PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE QUALITY and PASSENGER PATRONAGE

The study assessed the level of customer satisfaction with the quality of services offered by the main intercity public transport companies on the Owerri-Lagos and Owerri-Abuja travel routes in Nigeria. The study's objectives were to establish the level of patronage for intercity public transport providers and evaluate the level of service these providers offer on the assigned routes. To collect primary data, a survey instrument called a questionnaire was employed. Utilising the SERQUAL model of service quality, the study assessed respondents' pre-service and post-service quality expectations and views. Eight key intercity public transport operatives that transport the most intercity passengers through Owerri-Abuja and Owerri-Lagos routes were investigated, in addition to representing the long-distance intercity ways with the topmost demand for intercity journeys from Owerri. The following operators were selected for the study, namely, ABC Transport, LIBRA Motors, Young Shall Grow Motors, Heartland Travels, EKESONS Transport, GUO Transport, CHISCO Transport, and God is Good Motors (GIGM). Descriptive, inferential, and SERQUAL gap models were used to assess the gathered information. The major intercity public transport service operators' mean coefficient of service quality on the Owerri-Lagos and Owerri-Abuja routes is 23.6%, which suggests that their services are of low quality. However, GIGM received the highest service quality score (31.3%), indicating that individual operators in the sample offer services of disproportionately high quality. Additionally, the findings show that the mean daily patronage (MPAR) of 117.72 people was collected by the operators of intercity public transport services. The analysis also shows a substantial relationship between the amount of demand for intercity travel through specific operators and the quality of intercity public transport services. Individual operators must raise the calibre of their intercity travel services since there is a chance that giving the highest calibre of services and value to clients may increase demand for intercity travel

Sustainability Planning and Benchmarking of Post Concession Performance of Nigerian Seaports: The Case of Onne Seaport

The study appraised the sustainability of the improvement in post concession cargo throughput, revenue, ship traffic statistics and ship traffic volume performance of Onne seaport and developed benchmarks and planning models for sustainability of Onne seaport performance. Time series data of 10 years was gathered from the Nigerian ports authority on post concession cargo throughput, port revenue, ship traffic statistic and ship traffic volume performances of the seaport. The Arithmetic progression and series mathematical tool were used to analyze the data. It was found that; the post concession performance benchmark for each performance parameter of cargo throughput, port revenue, ship traffic volume and ship traffic statistics are C1 = 2,554,795 metric tons, R1 = 103.76 Million USD, S1 = 256,831,040 NRT, and V1 = 443 vessels respectively. The conditions for sustainability of the post concession cargo throughput, port revenue, ship traffic volume and ship traffic statistics performance of the port are: C1 + (n -1)d ≥ 2,554,795 metric tons, R1 + (n -1)d ≥ 103.76 Million USD, S1 + (n -1)d ≥ 256,831,040 Net Registered Tonnage and V1 + (n -1)d ≥ 443 respectively. Recommendations were proffered on the basis of the research findings

Determining Benchmarks for Cargo Throughput Performances of Privatized Seaports in Nigeria

There exists the challenge of seeming lack of empirically determined cargo throughput benchmark models for the privatized West African port terminals particularly in Nigeria, as target benchmarks which terminal operators and port authorities must drive towards to ensure that the current improvement in port productivity experienced in the post concession era is sustained.  The study was therefore aimed at developing benchmarks for the cargo throughput performances of the privatized five Nigeria ports of Apapa (Lagos), Port-Harcourt, Onne, Warri and Calabar. Such benchmarks developed for each seaport must be higher than the pre-privatization cargo throughput performances of the seaport. This became important following the improvements observed in the cargo throughput performances of the various ports from the year 2006 after the privatization of the ports and the recent recession faced in the Country which seems to have retarded the cargo throughput performances and other measures of seaport performance in the various Nigeria ports. Using Cp1,  CL1, Cw1, Co1, Cc1, to represent the base year 2006 cargo throughput performances of Port-Harcourt, Lagos, Warri, Onne and Calabar seaport respectively; and n, d, to represent the number of post privatization years covered in the study and common difference in cargo throughput performances; the study used a historical design approach in which time series data on cargo throughput   performances of the ports were obtained from the Nigeria ports Authority (NPA) annual statistical reports were analyzed using the converging and diverging arithmetic series mathematical modeling tool and MATLAB software,  to determine benchmark models, for ensuring that the improved cargo throughput performances of the various seaports, are sustained to remain higher that the pre-privatization cargo throughput performances. The study developed  the following Cargo throughput benchmark models for each seaport as findings.  Lagos port  = CL1 + (n – 1)d ≥ 15223340;  Onne port = Co1 + (n -1)d ≥ 15820381;  Port-Harcourt port = Cp1 + ( n -1)d ≥ 28016979;  Warri = Cw1 + ( n-1)d ≥4643128;  Calabar = Cc1 + (n-1)d ≥ 7963434. It was recommended that to improve port revenue which is a dependent factor on cargo throughput and vessel call rate, cargo throughput benchmarks model developed for the individual seaports should be used to empirically model quantum s of cargo throughput needed to economically sustain and improve the level of port operations. It should equally influence port marketing drives. This will ensure that the performance of the ports does not recede into the poor performance indices experienced in the pre-privatization era

An Appraisal of Demurrage Policies and Charges of Maritime Operators in Nigerian Seaport Terminals: the Shipping Industry and Economic Implications

This research evaluated the demurrage policies and charges of selected shipping companies and terminal operators in the Lagos ports and the implications in the economy and shipping industry in Nigeria. It adopted the survey approach to gather data from the dominant container operators (carriers) and the terminal operators. Demurrage duration and categorization of the demurrage periods and charges for each period by the selected operators were collected and compared using the statistical tool of analysis of variance to determine if there are differences among the charges and charging systems. It was found that, significant differences do not exist in the average rate of demurrage charges per container per day among the shipping companies and terminal operators in Lagos seaports. The study also found that there is no significant difference in the average amount charged as demurrage among the shipping companies and terminal operators in the three differing periods of demurrage duration in Lagos ports, Nigeria. It was recommended among other things that, the Nigerian shippers’ council as the governmental body responsible for freight regulation and protection of shippers\u27 interest should by policy fix a uniform container demurrage rate for all terminal operators and carriers operating in Nigeria

Probability Theory Analysis of Maritime Piracy and the Implications for Maritime Security Governance

The objective of this study was to determine the empirical probability coefficients of pirate attacks on ships in various sea regions, individual ship types, and the occurrence probability scores of trauma associated with hostage-taking, injury, death, kidnap for ransom, missing, and threats to the lives of crew members effected by pirate attacks on ships. Secondary data on the frequency of pirate attacks on ships trading in various regions of the world were obtained from the International Maritime Bureau. The data covered 10 years, that is, between 2011 and 2020, and were analyzed using the empirical probability statistical method implemented with the MATLAB software. Results showed that Southeast Asian and African waters have the highest empirical probability coefficients of 0.40 and 0.39, respectively, and are most prone to pirate attacks on ships. Trauma associated with hostage-taking of the ship's crew has the highest probability coefficient and likelihood of occurrence of 0.76 compared with other effects of piracy affecting the ship's crew. Kidnap for ransom is second with an occurrence probability of 0.15. Chemical and product tankers have the highest likelihood of a pirate attack, with an occurrence probability of 0.26, followed by bulk carriers, crude oil tankers, container vessels, general cargo ships, LPG tankers, and trawler fishing vessels, with empirical probabilities of 0.24, 0.11, 0.11, 0.06, 0.04, and 0.02, respectively. The implications for maritime security governance were discussed