Vessel Design and Operational Efficiency for Nigerian Cabotage

Abstract

This research involved an in-depth analysis of the maritime vessel design intricacies and operational efficiency of Cabotage vessels in Nigeria, which included general cargo vessels, tugboats, tanker vessels, and service vessels. It examined specifically the vessel design speed, vessel transit speed, vessel transit time, and vessel-specific fuel oil consumption. The research utilised data sources such as the vessels' design and operational manuals, class reports, and survey certificates to enable a comprehensive investigation into the intricate relationship between Cabotage vessel design technicality and their operational efficiency. The methodology employed in this study encompassed bivariate correlation analysis, with a particular emphasis on the Spearman correlation analysis. This analytical approach was utilized to scrutinize the data, and the significance level was set at 0.05 for the two-tailed tests. The outcomes of this extensive research endeavour offer valuable insights into the connections between vessel design intricacies and operational efficiency within the class of Cabotage vessels in Nigeria. The results showed that the observed correlation did not reach statistical significance at the 0.05 level. As a result, the findings of this research indicate that while relationships exist, they may not be substantial enough to draw conclusive significance.