From 5,369 in 2013, the number of vessels that berthed at ports in Nigeria dropped to 4,025 in 2016, representing the lowest in four years.

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, made this known in its 2013-2016 Shipping and Port Related Activities Data released on Wednesday.

According to the bureau, the number of vessels dropped from 5,369 in 2013 to 5,349 in 2014. In 2015, the figure dropped to 5,090 and reduced drastically to 4,025 in 2016.

Similarly, the report said the Gross Registered Tonnage at the ports peaked at 146,820,488 in 2014 and dropped to 144,207,122 in 2015 before sliding to 122,186,758 in 2016.

Statistics for the Apapa Port show the extent of decline in vessels over the last three years.

From 1,510 in 2013, the number of vessels that berthed at the Apapa Port dropped to 1,097 in 2016.

According to the bureau, the number of vessels dropped from 1,510 in 2013 to 1, 503 in 2014. In 2015, the figure dropped to 1,399 and reduced to 1,097 in 2016.

Similarly, the report said the Gross Registered Tonnage at the Apapa port peaked at 37,041,879 in 2014 and dropped to 36,142,339 in 2015 before sliding to 31,032,377 in 2016.

The data revealed that ship traffic statistics at Nigerian ports also reflected that a total number of 19,833 vessels berthed at the various ports between 2013 and 2016. Similarly 543,842,425 tonnages were registered within the period under review.

Further analysis of the report showed that the year 2014 recorded the highest number of vessels berthed as well as tonnages registered while the least were recorded in 2016.

Tin Can Island Port handled the most ships accounting for 33 percent of total number of ships that berthed in all ports and 32 percent of total tonnage registered in all ports. It is closely followed by Apapa port which accounted for 28 per cent of ships that berthed and 25 per cent of total tonnage registered ; and Onne port which accounted for 15 per cent of ships that berthed and 30 per cent of total tonnage registered.

According to the report, cargo traffic statistics revealed a total of 312,185,808 cargo traffic was recorded at all Nigerian ports between 2013 and 2016. 196,851,236 of the cargo traffic were inwards while 115, 334572 were outward.

Apapa port handled the most number of inward cargoes accounting for 39 per cent of total inward cargoes and closely followed by Tin Can Island and Delta ports accounting for 31 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

Calabar port accounted for 4.29 per cent to record the least.

Similarly, Onne port handled the most number of outward cargoes accounting for 80 per cent of total outward cargoes; closely followed by Delta and Apapa port accounting for 10.63 per cent and
3.52 per cent respectively.

The Calabar port accounted for 0.05 percent, to record the least.

Meanwhile, the number of passenger traffic within the period under review was put at 52,262.