Investigations by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that Nigeria’s ports welcomed a total of 251 ships in the first half of 2024.
This figure represents a 4.3% decrease from the 275 ships that docked in the same period in 2023. This is according to data obtained by our correspondent from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Our correspondent noted that despite the reduction in ship calls, the most striking development has been the dramatic fall in vehicle imports, which plummeted by 60.8% from 28,024 units in the first half of 2023 to just 10,991 units in 2024.
This is even as the total cargo volumes have also seen a decline, reflecting a contraction in trade activities and potentially signaling underlying economic challenges or shifts in the import-export balance.
Our correspondent noted that although the decrease in ship calls, though notable, is not as pronounced as the drop in vehicle importation. The 4.3% reduction in ship visits could be attributed to a variety of factors including changes in global shipping routes, adjustments in shipping line strategies, or the impact of economic policies affecting maritime trade.
In terms of cargo traffic, the total cargo throughput, excluding crude oil, reached 21,186,348 metric tons, marking a 16.1% increase from the 18,243,644 metric tons handled in the first quarter of 2023. Inward cargo traffic accounted for 13,563,173 metric tons, representing 10.5% of the total cargo throughput, while outward cargo traffic was 7,623,175 metric tons, making up 27.7% of the total cargo traffic.
Also, container traffic saw a modest increase of 2.3%, rising to 398,447 TEUs from 380,303 TEUs in the first quarter of 2023. Import container traffic contributed 198,415 TEUs, while export container traffic totaled 195,106 TEUs.
Notably, empty containers constituted 56.3% of the total export container traffic, reflecting ongoing challenges in balancing import and export activities.
However, performance indicators for the period show some positive trends, despite the decrease in ship traffic. The average turn-around time for vessels improved to 4.6 days from 5.1 days in 2023.
This improvement according to the data, is partly attributed to the impact of the Lekki deep seaport, which achieved an average turn-around time of just one day, showcasing its efficiency.
The berth occupancy rate averaged 29.8% in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease from 34.5% in the same period of 2023.
The lower berth occupancy rate indicates reduced congestion at the ports, which may contribute to the improved turn-around times and overall efficiency.
