The aim of this paper is to apply the DEA method in assessing efficiencies of major ports in West Africa. Six ports were selected based on their container throughput levels, and the DEA model was used to determine their relative efficiencies and their efficiencies over time through window analysis. The DEA model was applied to a number of inputs of port production and a single output (container throughput). It was determined that the Port of Tema in Ghana was the most efficient West African port under study. Although Tema exhibited some inefficiency in its operations, the port was found to make good use of its resources for production. On the other extreme, the Port of Cotonou in Benin was found to be the least efficient port obtaining the lowest average efficiency rating over a seven year period. It was determined that the port exhibited a substantial waste in production. Generally, ports in West Africa could be said to exhibit high levels of efficiency considering that four out of six ports had an average efficiency score of 76% or higher for the period under study.

In the last decade, inter-port competition in West Africa has become fiercer as captive hinterlands of ports continue to overlap and become contestable or shared. This is due to door-to-door supply chain services being offered by shipping lines and third party logistics service providers through inter-modalism. In addition, as cargo becomes more concentrated in the region, there have been calls for the selection of a hub location for shipping lines serving the region in order to exploit economies of scale. This paper therefore aims to evaluate the competitiveness of major ports in the West African region based on criteria selected by experts. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, port competitiveness was evaluated and ports ranked according to the total weights obtained based on the different criteria used. The Port of Abidjan emerged the most competitive port in West Africa with its strongest links being its efficiency and performance, infrastructure and political stability outlook in spite of recent political turmoil. The Lagos Port Complex, West Africa's largest port in terms of scale and throughput, emerged fifth falling behind the Ports of Lomé, Tema and Dakar respectively owing largely to its political stability outlook. The least competitive port was the Port of Cotonou in Benin.

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.

Abstract:The research dealt with assessment of logistics service providers' capabilities in SECs (supporting subsea engineering companies) on the Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN) project in Ghana. SECs need logistics service providers who offer consolidated services for project optimization and fulfillment of local content requirements of the project. Relevant Staff of 7 SECs and 10 logistics service providers in Ghana formed part of the target group. The weighted scoring model was used in selecting a logistics service provider based on certain criteria. The selection criteria included Quality, Health, Safety and Environmental (QHSE) policies