Effect of Maritime Fraud on Freight Forwarding Operation in Nigeria Seaport (a Case Study of Port Harcourt Port, Rivers State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To examine the effect of maritime fraud on the operation of port Harcourt seaport
- To identify the various means employed in defrauding maritime activities port Harcourt seaport, Rivers State
- To identify the cause(s) of fraud in Port Harcourt seaport
- To recommend measures for reducing the incidence of maritime fraud
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Maritime fraud
Today’s international shipping involves people of many different nationalities with different laws, customs and institutions. Where world economies in the past were the result of empires, the present world economy grew out of relatively free exchange. Today’s shipping community comprises shippers, charterers, shipowners, bankers, insurers, importers, and exporters and the system designed for the transfer of goods is simple and efficient, with the sea remaining the life blood of trade. In international trade, as a matter of custom, the seller gets paid before the buyer receives the goods, as because the delivery of goods takes considerable time. The system of letters of credit involved with banks as the intermediaries has proved fruitful and documents rather than goods form the focal point of these transactions. The simplicity of the system made it potentially efficient and is based on trust as a major factor between the contracting principals. As long as the parties to the transaction realise that trust made the simplicity of the system practicable, all parties derive a benefit. Without trust, all parties must adopt measures to inspect and verify at every stage of the transaction. Duties of enquiry would raise costs like bank charges and delay payments, with negotiations taking a much longer time. Considering the volume of transactions involved, the system would become no better than the customs and excise system of a repressive regime, transaction costs would simply become more prohibitive for the fruitful trade. An international marine contract therefore requires the intervention of several parties. Fraud is a very insidious crime and arises when one of the parties to the marine contract; succeeds in obtaining money or goods belonging to another party connected in the carriage and financing unjustly. The threat of fraud is that it undermines the system by putting trust’ at risks. The simplicity of the system of international trade makes it attractive and vulnerable to forgers scuttlers and cheats. Maritime frauds takes place when any one of the various parties involved in an international trade transaction intentionally deceives another as to some fact or circumstance in’ connection with maritime activities which enables him to obtain money or goods dishonestly. In some cases, several of the parties act in collusion to defraud another. Maritime frauds, in general, occur when goods that have been shipped by sea are not where they ought to be and are subsequently never found or found in a damaged condition.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to Effect of maritime fraud on freight forwarding operation in Nigeria seaport (A case study of port Harcourt port, Rivers State)
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
- Primary source and
- Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in gathering information on effect of maritime fraud on freight forwarding operation in Nigeria seaport. Two hundred (200) staffs of Port Harcourt seaport was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF DATA
One hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were distributed and one hundred and forty (133) were returned. This figure was the sample size. Out of the one hundred and thirty-three, only one hundred and twenty (120) were properly responded to. As a result, the researcher used one hundred and twenty for this study when more than 50% of the respondents agree to the questions, the answer is taken as valid for the purpose of this study. In analyzing the data, the approach that will be adopted is to find out the percentage and positive and negative answers to the question posed.
In table 1, 160 questionnaires were administered, but only 120 were returned fully responded to this were used for the researcher.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain effect of maritime fraud on freight forwarding operation in Nigeria seaport ( A case study of port Harcourt port, Rivers State). In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of effect of maritime fraud on freight forwarding operation in Nigeria seaport
Summary
This study was on Effect of maritime fraud on freight forwarding operation in Nigeria seaport ( A case study of port Harcourt port, Rivers State). Four objectives were raised which included: To examine the effect of maritime fraud on the operation of port Harcourt seaport, to identify the various means employed in defrauding maritime activities port Harcourt seaport, Rivers State, to identify the cause(s) of fraud in Port Harcourt seaport and to recommend measures for reducing the incidence of maritime fraud. In line with these objectives, four research question were asked and answered. The total population for the study is 200 staff of Port Harcourt seaport. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made administrative staffs, technical electro officers, senior staffs and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Maritime fraud is a common crime with an uncommon effect. It distorts the door to door aim of global maritime logistic and supply chain thus making it vulnerable. The Nigerian seaports have suffered greatly from this logistic malady as such making the shipping industry suffer huge financial loss as well as the nation at large. However, with the advent of the concession of the Nigerian ports system, the menace called maritime fraud has experienced a steady progressive extinction in Nigerian port systems
Recommendation
Concessionaries must align with all relevant security agencies such as the Nigeria port police, Nigeria police force, NPA security department etc to ensure total security within the port area especially the security and safety of cargoes
Provision of computer based or electronic devices, used in the security of ports area such as CCTV and other electronic security camera devices. This will help in 24-hours monitory of the activities in the ports.
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