Posted: August 14th, 2022

The role of logistics in enhancing maritime transport efficiency in Mauritania.

The role of logistics in enhancing maritime transport efficiency in Mauritania.
The maritime industry, like any other service industry, faces the challenges of global competition and increasing demands for efficiency. In addition to concerns about human safety and environmentally safe operations, the strategic aspects of service excellence in the maritime industry include operations and management efficiency. These aspects are crucial for achieving service efficiency results and are enabled by technology applications for process efficiency.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the maritime industry, accelerating pre-existing trends related to digitalization and environmental awareness. One notable consequence of the pandemic is the changing perception of technology within the industry. There is now a greater appetite and acceptance of digital solutions across various stakeholders, including ship-owners, ship-managers, charterers, financiers, and insurers. This data-driven transformation extends beyond individual entities to create a digitalized ecosystem.

Research has shown that digital technologies can positively impact efficiency at both the firm and industry levels. However, these benefits are not guaranteed and depend on several factors:

1. **Organizational Capital and Management Skills**: Firms’ ability to leverage digital adoption for efficiency gains depends on their organizational capital and management skills. This includes their capacity to implement investments and modernizations that enhance business practices and systematize routine tasks.

2. **Time to Materialize**: Efficiency benefits from digital adoption may take time to materialize fully. Patience is required as firms adapt to new technologies and optimize their processes.

3. **Industry-Level Adoption**: The adoption of digital technologies varies across shipping firms and divisions. While water transport activities tend to benefit more from digitalization, warehousing and support activities also experience positive impacts.

4. **Sustainability Challenges**: Beyond digitalization, the maritime industry faces sustainability challenges. The focus on sustainability aligns with efforts to improve worldwide transportation practices.

5. **Digital Revolution**: The ongoing digital revolution presents an additional obstacle for the industry. Managers must balance short-term adjustments with long-term strategies that enhance efficiency.

In addition to digitalization, other factors play a crucial role in enhancing maritime transport efficiency:

1. **Integration of Ports and Inland Logistics Providers**: Ports can integrate with inland logistics providers to improve overall supply chain resilience and efficiency. Cooperation between these entities can reduce time losses and enhance operational effectiveness.

2. **Information Systems Usage**: Information systems contribute significantly to reducing shipping and trucking costs, improving on-time delivery, increasing trade volume, and enhancing organizational logistics capability.

3. **E-navigation**: Developed to integrate human involvement with navigational advancements, e-navigation aims to increase the reliability of maritime operations. This improvement enhances seaport competitiveness from both foreland (landward) and overland (seaward) perspectives.

The Role of Logistics in Enhancing Maritime Transport Efficiency in Mauritania

Introduction

Maritime transport plays a vital role in facilitating international trade and economic growth in Mauritania. As a coastal country, Mauritania relies heavily on its seaports to move exports and imports. Efficient maritime logistics is therefore critical for supporting the country’s participation in global value chains. However, Mauritania faces several challenges that constrain maritime connectivity and undermine the competitiveness of its ports. Improving logistics performance is essential for enhancing port and shipping efficiency, reducing transport costs, and boosting trade.

This essay examines the current state of Mauritania’s maritime transport sector. It discusses the importance of maritime logistics in an era of globalization and identifies key bottlenecks hampering Mauritania’s port performance. The essay then provides recommendations for strengthening logistics infrastructure and services to increase maritime transport efficiency in Mauritania. Overall, the analysis underscores the need for coherent policies and coordinated investments across transport infrastructure, trade facilitation, and human capital development to leverage Mauritania’s coastal location.

The Importance of Maritime Logistics

Efficient maritime logistics entails seamless transportation networks connecting ports with inland transport systems and facilitating the smooth flow of goods through supply chains (Farrell, 2006). It requires quality infrastructure such as adequate port facilities, cargo handling equipment, and hinterland rail and road links. Maritime logistics also relies on facilitation services including customs clearance, cargo tracking, freight forwarding, and intermodal transfers (Panayides & Song, 2013). Integrated logistics makes maritime transport reliable, cost-effective, and competitive.

As a lower-middle income country, Mauritania depends on seamless maritime logistics to participate in international trade. The country relies heavily on its mineral exports, especially iron ore which constitutes over 40 percent of total exports (ITC Trade Map, 2022). Mauritania also imports most of its consumer and industrial goods by sea. Efficient maritime logistics is therefore indispensable for national competitiveness and economic development. Mauritania’s maritime agenda is also shaped by its strategic location on shipping lanes connecting Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Port infrastructure and services need upgrading to capture potential transit trade.

Review of Mauritania’s Maritime Transport Sector

Mauritania has two major commercial deep seaports at Nouakchott and Nouadhibou which handle nearly all the country’s seaborne trade. Nouakchott port was constructed in 1963 and later expanded through various development projects (Autorité Portuaire Nationale, 2019). Nouadhibou port located near the northern mining region was built in the 1960s as a mineral export terminal. Both ports have basic infrastructure but suffer from limited capacity, outdated equipment, and inefficient cargo handling. Consequently, ship waiting times and port dwell times remain high.

Road and rail connectivity to the hinterland is underdeveloped constraining inland distribution. Mauritania has only one railway line linking Nouadhibou to the mining areas but road transport dominates cargo evacuation from ports (Nathan Associates Inc., 2015). Poor road conditions coupled with cumbersome customs procedures hamper cargo clearance and evacuation. These capacity and procedural constraints undermine Mauritania’s maritime transport efficiency and trade competitiveness.

Additionally, the tight fiscal space leaves limited public resources for upgrading maritime infrastructure and services. Port inefficiencies coupled with the country’s large shipping costs due to long distances from major markets make imports expensive (World Bank, 2020). Lack of ships connectivity also hinders diversification into time-sensitive exports such as fresh fish. Limited competition among service providers further inflates shipping costs.

Overall, these challenges demonstrate the need for focused efforts to improve maritime logistics performance. Efficient seaport infrastructure and operations will be critical to leveraging Mauritania’s coastal location.

Recommendations

Upgrading Port Infrastructure and Information Systems

The government should prioritize investments in expanding port capacity and modernizing cargo handling systems to match growing traffic and ship sizes. Public-private partnerships can help attract finance and expertise for upgrading port infrastructure and superstructure. The ports authority should also implement electronic information systems for simplifying documentation, streamlining processes, and improving data sharing along the logistics chain. Effective information systems will reduce red tape and bottlenecks while enhancing supply chain visibility (Arvis et al., 2018).

Improving Landside Connectivity

Efficient maritime logistics requires multimodal transport networks connecting seaports with inland destinations. The government needs to invest in improving port access roads and railway infrastructure while embracing technologies such as containerization and pre-haulage to facilitate hinterland distribution. Road and rail connectivity between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou should be enhanced to strengthen links with mining areas and landlocked neighbors. Stronger landside connectivity will ensure speedy cargo evacuation and lower dwell times.

Promoting Integrated Logistics Services

Mauritania needs to facilitate private sector participation to foster competition and improve service options in maritime logistics. Allowing reputable international operators in container terminals and cargo handling can upgrade performance benchmarks. The government could provide incentives for logistics integration by domestic firms through mergers and partnerships. Integrated services ranging from freight forwarding, warehousing to inland transport will enhance end-to-end efficiency.

Modernizing Trade Facilitation Procedures

Streamlining customs clearance and border compliance procedures is essential for efficient maritime logistics. Mauritania should fully implement trade facilitation measures under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to simplify processes and improve coordination among agencies. Automating customs and adopting risk-based inspection can reduce processing times and costs while upholding compliance (Geourjon & Laporte, 2013). These reforms will minimize red tape while facilitating seamless transfer of cargo.

Developing Supporting Human Capital

Finally, improving maritime transport productivity requires developing human capital. The government should expand vocational training programs to equip youth with skills needed in ports and logistics services. Partnerships with private providers can align training with labor market needs. Incentives may also help attract back expert diaspora in ports management and maritime services. Such efforts will build a talented workforce to support the efficiency and competitiveness of Mauritania’s maritime logistics.

Conclusion

Efficient maritime logistics is indispensable for Mauritania to leverage its coastal location in enhancing global trade. But outdated infrastructure, poor connectivity, cumbersome processes, and unskilled labor undermine the performance of Mauritania’s seaports. Concerted efforts are required to upgrade port infrastructure, improve landside links, streamline processes, and develop human capital. Integrated policies and coordinated investments in hard infrastructure and soft reforms are essential to unlock the full potential of maritime logistics in supporting the country’s economic transformation. With targeted upgrades, Mauritania can enhance maritime transport efficiency, lower costs, and strengthen its competitive position as a strategic hub along key global shipping routes.

References

Autorité Portuaire Nationale. (2019). Port infrastructures. Retrieved from http://www.portdenouakchott.com/index.php/en/port-infrastructures

Arvis, J. F., Saslavsky, D., Ojala, L., Shepherd, B., Busch, C., Raj, A., & Naula, T. (2016). Connecting to compete 2016: Trade logistics in the global economy. World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/24598

Farrell, S. (2006). The geography of logistics provision in the UK. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK).

Geourjon, A. M., & Laporte, B. (2013). Risk management for targeting customs controls in developing countries: A risky venture for revenue performance?. Public Administration and Development, 33(2), 105-120.

ITC Trade Map. (2022). Mauritania trade statistics. https://www.trademap.org/Index.aspx

Nathan Associates Inc. (2015). Diagnostic trade integration study of Mauritania. Report prepared for the Enhanced Integrated Framework. https://enhancedif.org/en/system/files/uploads/mauritania_dtis_final_report_16.06.2015.pdf

Panayides, P. M., & Song, D. W. (2013). Maritime logistics as an emerging discipline. Maritime Policy & Management, 40(3), 295-308.

World Bank. (2020). Mauritania – Boosting trade competitiveness : National and regional priorities. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/953901591798135855/Boosting-Trade-Competitiveness-National-and-Regional-Priorities

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