Appraising the Operational Performance of Onne Port (A Case Study)

Onne Port is a major seaport located in Rivers State, Nigeria. The modern infrastructure and operational capabilities of Onne Port makes it a key player in the maritime sector; thus, providing easy access to the oil and gas resources of Nigeria. The aim of this paper is to appraise the operational performance of Onne Port. The objectives are; to determine the relationship between ship traffic and cargo throughput in Onne Port, and to determine the relationship between ship traffic and Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of Onne Port. The primary source of data was from the Onne Port Annual Statistical Report spanning from the years 2005 to 2020. Other sources of data include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Handbook, the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria (NBS), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Annual Reports, internet sources, interviews, and so on. Information that was extracted include but not limited to Cargo Throughput, Ship Turnaround Time, Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT), Berth Occupancy Rate, Operational Statistics Summary, Ship traffic, container traffic, and others. The research employed descriptive statistics to analyze and evaluate the mean and standard deviation of the variables. The research hypotheses were tested using inferential statistical tool of Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Factor Analysis Model. Data analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between ship traffic and other performance indicators like cargo throughput and ship gross registered tonnage of Onne Port. The implication of this is that increased ship traffic leads to higher cargo throughput, higher GRT and consequently increase in port revenue or operational performance of Onne Port. The research however, highlighted the need for operational efficiency and infrastructure optimization to meet evolving demands in the maritime industry.