ABIYESUKU Afifama-a Obaye
Department of Marketing, Faculty of Administration and Management
Rivers State University Nkpolu-oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
NWULU Chinyere Stella
Department of Marketing, Faculty of Administration and Management
Rivers State University Nkpolu-oroworukwo, Port Harcourt.
Abstract
This study examined the impact of route optimization on operational efficiency of logistics service providers at seaport terminals in Rivers State, Nigeria. Thus study used cargo throughput, delivery speed and cost minimization to proxy operational efficiency. This adopted a positivist philosophy; a quantitative methodology and an explanatory research design. The population of the study comprised 6 logistics service providers operating at seaport terminals in Rivers State. The study took a census. 7 managers from each of the 6 logistics service providers served as respondents. However, only 34 respondents provided valid data. The study used structured questionnaire to collect primary data. The simple regression analysis was used to test three null hypotheses, aided by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. The study found that route optimization has positive significant impacts on cargo throughput, delivery speed and cost minimization of logistics service providers of seaport terminals in Rivers State. In view of these findings, the study concluded that route optimization in logistics operations positively and significantly impacts operational efficiency of logistics service providers of seaport terminals in Rivers State; and recommends that, logistics service providers at seaport terminals in Rivers State that seek improved operational efficiency should continue deploy route optimization technology to plan delivery routes; track vehicle movements; and monitor traffic conditions.
Keywords: Cargo throughput, cost minimization, delivery speed, operational efficiency, route optimization.