Reserve Management Policy and Operational Performance of Ports in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between reserve management policy and operational performance of ports in Rivers State. The study was conceptualized into two variables: the predictor variable reserve management policy and criterion variable operational performance with berth occupancy, container handling efficiency and throughput. The study tested 3 null hypotheses in order to establish the hypothetical statement that there is no significant relationship between reserve management policy and measures of operational performance. The study population comprised 21 terminal operating firms within the two ports in Rivers State. Census Sampling Technique was adopted and the researcher administered five copies of questionnaire to five top managerial staff of the 21 terminal operating firms within the two ports in Rivers State totalling 105 respondents. After distribution and retrieval of questionnaire, 88 copies were fit and formed respondents for the study. Data were generated from the respondents by the use of a well-structured questionnaire. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses with the aid of statistical packages for social science version 25.0. The p-values of 0.000 less than 0.05 was used to determine the significance of the hypothesized relationship. The results showed different strength of statistically positive and significant relationships between the reserve management policy and the measures of operational performance Based on the findings; the study concluded that reserve management policy significantly relates with the operational performance of the 21 terminal operating firms within the two ports in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The study therefore recommended among others that managers within ports in Rivers State should consider the strategic role of reserve management policy in their pursuit of operational performance