The Drive for a Regional Hub Port for West Africa: General Requirements and Capacity Forecast

Abstract

Currently there is a drive by a number of West African Ports to attain the status of hub port for the region. This has been driven largely by increasing container throughput in the region in addition to increasing costs for shippers; the latter being attributed to the lack of economies of scale and inefficiencies in ports. This study gathers from literature a consensus on the basic requirements or influential factors of a potential hub location. A survey is carried out to determine the relative importance of hub port requirements according to the major shipping lines operating in the West African region. From the survey, it was established that high port efficiency and performance, stable political environment of the country concerned, and adequate port infrastructure and handling facilities were the three most important requirements/influential factors respectively for a potential West-African hub port, according to the major shipping lines calling at ports in the region. In addition, container throughput levels for West Africa are analysed and a forecast of throughput levels made utilizing a regression model. On average, container throughput will increase at a rate of 10% per annum in West Africa for the next decade as the economies of the region also continue to grow with a forecasted GDP growth rate of about 11% per annum. The regression model expands on the relationships between certain economic factors and container throughput levels in West Africa.