Another step forward for new Walvis Bay container terminal

The contract for the
construction of a new
container terminal at the
Port of Walvis Bay will be
awarded before the end of
the year, said Zunaid Pochee
of the Walvis Bay Corridor
Group (WBCG).
Pochee told FTW the
dredging of the port from
12.8 to 14 metres had just
been completed, but already
tenders were out for the
dredging of another two
metres.
“We believe that the
tenders for the new
container terminal and the
further dredging of the
port to 16 metres will be
awarded before the end of
the year.”
Some R2.7 billion will
be spent on infrastructure
upgrades over the next five
years.
“Once completed the
port will have the capacity
to receive post-panamax
vessels and be able to handle
up to 800 000 containers per
year.”
Currently some 350 000
TEUs are being handled at
Walvis Bay compared to
20 000 just ten years ago.
Since 1994, some
R800 million has been
invested in the facility.
Pochee said while the
market had fallen quite
considerably during the
recession of 2009 there
had been a major revival,
with many requirements
and requests on the various
corridors the organisation
represents.
“With a zero pilferage
record in the port to date,
we offer a competitive
service in terms of both
cost and time. Our biggest
challenge, however, remains
changing the mindset of
people who still think
Durban and Cape Town
first.”
Despite this, Pochee said
major headway had been
made into the southern
African market and with the
facilities being upgraded
more growth was expected
for the future.