Abstract
The efficient deployment of Offshore Service Vessels (OSVs) is critical for
the productivity of Nigeria's offshore oil and gas sector. However, a lack of
empirical, long-term data on vessel operational trends has hindered strategic
planning and fleet optimization. This study analyzes the trend of operation and
quantifies the average rate of change in the deployment of key OSV types—
Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs), Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels,
Crew Boats (CBs), Line Handling Tugs (LHTs), and Security Escort Vessels
(SEVs)—in Nigeria's Niger Delta region from 2009 to 2023. Using
quantitative research design, secondary data were collected from regulatory
agencies and analyzed using trend analysis and linear regression. The results
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reveal a significant upward trajectory in overall OSV deployment, driven
predominantly by deepwater exploration. PSVs and AHTS vessels exhibited the
strongest growth, with average annual rates of change of +5.2% and +4.7%,
respectively, and highly significant positive regression trends (R² > 0.89).
Security Escort Vessels (SEVs) also showed moderate growth (+3.1%), linked
to enhanced maritime security initiatives, while CBs and LHTs demonstrated
only mild increases. The study concludes that Nigeria's offshore logistics
system is undergoing a structural shift towards specialized vessel utilization. It
recommends strengthening indigenous fleet capacity through the Cabotage
Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), enhancing policy coordination, and investing
in modern port infrastructure to sustain this growth and improve local content
in the maritime logistics value chain.