Disaggregate analyses of attributes of port choice in Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, a multinomial logit model was used to explain the selection of a port for each shipment exported from Europe to Nigeria between 2006 and 2008. The model was used to estimate all shipments and their commodities types (bulk, food, fabrics, manufactured). Results were sampled across commodities to deduce the significance of the distance in both directions, the frequency of sailing and the average size of vessels sailing along the route. Results of the estimation did not conform to expectation. Reasons for variation were suggested and along with various methods by which the modeling could be improved. Improvement strategies included structuring of the model to represent competitive scenarios of each port, constraining the choice set for each shipment from characteristics of carrier and the commodity.

Keywords: Sea ports, shipment, export, vessels, Nigeria

International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 6(4): 432 - 437, 2010