Draft Limitations and Logistics Constraints at Calabar Port: A Case Study of ECM Terminals

Calabar Port, as one of Nigeria's oldest and most strategically located seaports, continues to suffer from extremely low cargo volume throughput and ship calls, despite its vital importance to the nation's North-Central and Eastern districts. The port is plagued by serious operational challenges, including a shallow draft channel, poor hinterland road connections, and a lack of investment in modern cargo-handling facilities. These limitations have constrained the capacity of ECM Terminals, a concessionaire business at the port, to secure and retain cargo quantities, prompting many exporters to use alternative ports, such as Apapa, Onne, and Tin Can Island. This study investigates the extent to which draft restrictions and logistics constraints affect the operational effectiveness and competitiveness of ECM Terminals. Adopting a mixed-methods approach that contrasts throughput statistics (2016-2023), cost data, and interviews with 15 key stakeholders within the maritime and export sectors, the study lays bare the economic consequences of underutilizing Calabar Port. Findings show the consistent decline in vessel calls, high inland transport costs, and complete absence of containerized trade. Stakeholders pinpoint the necessity for dredging, improved road facilities, and the purchase of container handling equipment as crucial for unlocking the potential of the port. The research also contrasts Calabar Port with its regional peers in terms of logistics performance indices. It concludes by suggesting policy, infrastructure, and operational reforms that must be undertaken to reposition ECM Terminals and Calabar Port as potential drivers of Nigeria's non-oil export growth and balanced regional development.