Shipping and Invasion of Second-Hand Vehicles in West African Ports: Analysing the Factors and Market Effects at the Port of Abidjan

Abstract

Since more than a decade sub-Saharan Africa has known a plenty of second-hands vehicles especially in francophone West Africa. These second hand vehicles made of personal fleet of cars constitute more than the 85% of the total num- ber of automobiles in the region. That has contributed in a paradox way to businesses creation and increased the level of entrepreneurship in the automobile sector while it has been a help in performing the taxes collection and policy in ports. The invasion of these types of cars has led to West African ports cities especially Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire to increase the demand. This paper tends to show the shipping practices of the second hand cars and the demand drawn by the so- cioeconomic environment. It illustrates the effects on port of Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire with the local institutional and regulatory function in the shipping activities of the second hand cars. And so far, this study examines the evidence of how the invasion is organized since its import origins and zones to the sales stations and finally describe how this in- dustry generates income for both public sector and private business owners. Keywords: