…Tasks Operators On Marketing Strategy

The Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Mr. Lawrence Oladele Alabi, has charged terminal operators to embark on vigorous marketing campaign.

Mr. Alabi, who gave the charge during a chat with Journalists in his office in Port Harcourt, said they should go all out, using every necessary marketing tool at their disposal and personal skill as well as advertising, to woo their target audience.

According to him, the terminal operators at Rivers Port need to step up their marketing strategies in order to make the Port busy for container operations at the Port and other Ports in the Eastern Zone.

He blamed the low patronage at the Rivers Port complex on the poor marketing effort by the Terminal operators, saying, “Convincing the importers and agents to route their containers and cargo through the Port is a function of marketing strategy as you must convince your would-be customers that you have the capacity to deliver promptly and offer quality services.”

The Port Manager noted that the Nigeria Ports Authority is a major economic gateway and that the bulk of marketing lies in the hands of the concessionaires, adding, “They are to showcase their products to prospective customers and stakeholders.”

“We also canvass that the terminal operators should do more on research and development, so that their facilities will be optimally utilised. Shipping operations is in a competitive world, and the Port does not stand alone.” Mr. Alabi said.

He reiterated that the Port had over the time maintained a deliberate planned and sustainable corporate social responsibility policy for a friendly environment for their operations, and further enjoined the Terminal operators to consider operating a favourable tariff to enable the customers, agents and importers do business at their terminals.