Simulation of Port Congestion and Berth Allocation at Apapa Port, Lagos Using Discrete Event Simulation

Apapa Port in Lagos remains one of Nigeria's busiest and most congested seaports, with chronic vessel queuing and delayed berth allocation generating enormous economic costs for importers, shipping lines, and the national economy. This study employs discrete event simulation (DES) to model vessel arrival, berth allocation, cargo handling, and departure processes at Apapa Port. Data on vessel inter-arrival times, cargo types, berth capacities, crane productivity rates, and turnaround times were collected from the Nigerian Ports Authority over a six-month period. A simulation model is constructed and validated against observed average turnaround time and berth utilization rates. Experiments are conducted under three scenarios: the status quo, the addition of two berths, and the implementation of an appointment-based vessel scheduling system. Results indicate that the current configuration yields average vessel turnaround times of 8.3 days, significantly above the global benchmark of 2-3 days. Adding two berths reduces average turnaround to 5.1 days, while vessel scheduling alone achieves 4.8 days at no capital investment. A combined intervention produces the lowest turnaround of 3.4 days. The study recommends prioritizing vessel scheduling implementation as a cost-effective short-term intervention while planning berth expansion as a medium-term capital project. This research contributes evidence-based insights for port efficiency improvement at one of West Africa's most critical maritime gateways. Keywords: discrete event simulation, port congestion, berth allocation, Apapa Port, vessel scheduling