Abstract
The study examined the diffusion of container method of packaging for the period 1968 – 2005 in Nigeria with a view to adopting the method in the Nigerian Transport System. This was done by collecting a comprehensive data set of import and export container traffic from seven selected ports in Nigeria. These are Apapa Bulkship terminal; AP Molers terminal, Ro-Ro terminal, Tin Can Island, Delta Port, Rivers Ports and Calabar Port. The collected data were used to determine the trend of import and export container traffic in the seven ports. The logistic S-curve model was then used to determine the pattern of adoption of the container packaging method in the studied ports. The curve fits were used to establish the relationship between the observed trend and the logistic trend of container traffic. The results showed that the take-off stage for import and export container traffic fell between 1968 – 1975 the diffusion stage between 1976 – 1993 while the saturation stage fell between 1993 – 2005. The logistic S-curves using the least square method of estimation showed that AP Molers terminal in Lagos and Calabar Ports had the strongest diffusion of container packaging in Nigeria.