Impact of Digitalization on the Management of the Maritime Industry in Africa: The Banjul Port Experiences

Efficiency is hampered by Banjul Port's laborious operational procedure, which lacks an integrated platform for stakeholders and adequate information flow. Consignees experience bottlenecks as a result, and freight clearance takes longer. All facets of human life are being impacted by the present digital revolution in society and business. Sadly, due to long truck turnaround times and poorly planned landward access to the port via trucks scheduled arrivals at the port gate, which causes vehicle gate congestion, the Gambia Ports Authority currently operates primarily manually. The Banjul port's efficiency has declined due to increased ship calls, causing a backlog of congested ships at anchorage. These delays cause shippers to charge demurrage, negatively impacting retail prices and causing a high cost of living for the population. Through creative approaches and methods, this study investigates how The Gambia Ports Authority may use digitalisation to improve port and terminal operations' efficiency. Using the Gambia Ports Authority as a case study, the project aims to investigate how digitalisation affects Banjul Ports management and explore the potential of port digitisation to reduce congestion and increase maritime industry efficiency. Questionnaires were used to survey workers of the Gambia Ports Authority, including major importers and exporters, goods forwarders, shipping lines, clearing agents and haulage vehicle owners. Frequency distribution tables and regression analysis using SPSS were used to present the data. The study reveals operational challenges faced by Ports users, including inadequate berth facilities, traffic capacity, and open storage capacity, and recommends modern, automated equipment for efficient service delivery.