Authors : TUFOIN KILIAN DIANG

Volume/Issue : Volume 7 - 2022, Issue 11 - November

Google Scholar : https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N

Scribd : https://bit.ly/3hYMsa7

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7487908

Abstract : Support facilities and connective function of any transport mode are pivotal for the efficient functional and transactional operations without which it becomes stunted and cause delays or malfunction. This is very crucial when it concerns the maritime transport sector. Along the Fako coastal belt of Cameroon, maritime transport infrastructure is weak, less performant and even absent in some cases. Seaports, are poorly linked to each other with no railway lines which has adversely affected the efficient operation of maritime transport activities and port operations along this coastline. In fact, the infrastructure and facilities are still the remnants of the colonial masters. It is against this gloomy background eventthat this study sets out to diagnose and evaluate maritime transport infrastructure and facilities along the Fako coastal belt of Cameroon. The study used a purely qualitative approach and data were gotten from secondary and primary sources. Secondary data were sourced from soft and hard copies of published and unpolished documents, relevant decrees and charters patterning to maritime transport infrastructure and facilities. Primary data were obtained basically from the three port sites (Tiko, Limbe and Idenau). The rationale for the choice of these port sites was to appreciate port infrastructure and facilities use for transactional and operational functioning of the ports. Techniques of data collection included; semistructured and unstructured interviews, participant and on-the-spot observations and Focus Group discussions where photographs were netted. The data was processed and analysed using the in vivo data coding system dealing with main themes and emerging themes in the study. Results obtained revealed that maritime transport facilities and infrastructure such as storage facilities and cargo handling equipment are poor and dilapidated thus, limiting the effective functioning of maritime transport services.From observations, it was revealed that port infrastructure along the Fako coast till date are still remnants of colonial the heritage.Responds scores on the appreciation of the ports infrastructure and facilities revealed that 15.3 % and 10.5 % of the respondents perceivedthe port infrastructure and facilities to be good and very good respectively while 51.5 % and 22.7 % had a negative perception of bad and very bad respectively. Furthermore, ports were observed to function in isolation with a poor road network linking the port. The observed implications were the inability of heavy duty trucks to enter or exit the ports with cargo. The poor state of these infrastructures is "sharply versed to the SDG 9 of “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovations”. This study recommends an improvement in maritime transport infrastructure and support facilities in these auxiliary ports. This will increase the capacity and efficient functioning of the ports and also to help decongest the Douala mother port. More so, constructing a railway line linking these ports to the economic capital and beyond and a good road network will increase the connective function of this transport mode and an improved supply chain along the Fako coast and to the rest of the country and other land lock countries like Chad and Central African Republic

Keywords : Maritime transport, transport infrastructure, facilities, Fako coast, seaports