Cargo volumes destined for Namibia are steady amidst rising demand, reports neutral consolidator SACO CFR. "Despite facing challenges such as port congestion and delays in South Africa, our transhipment hub in Durban is witnessing a consistent uptick in cargo volumes bound for Namibia," Michelle Horner, SACO CFR ocean branch manager in Durban, told Freight News."In collaboration with our long-time partner, Namibia Shipping & Logistics (Namship), we have developed a successful ocean transhipment service in Namibia. This service is complemented by a road solution tailored to meet the needs of time-sensitive or dedicated loa d s."Horner said that while continuing to navigate the global challenges surrounding the logistics sector, they remained upbeat about Namibia's prospects. Olaf Hoffmann, Namship director, agreed, saying that after the Covid-19 lockdown challenges, the Namibian economy was starting to see an upswing. "A main contributor to this is tourism. During the pandemic, it was estimated that around 250 000 people lost employment due to the decrease in tourism, which had a major impact on a country with a relatively small population. However, with the return of tourists, employment in the hospitality industry is increasing. In turn, supporting industries to hospitality are seeing improved business opportunities."He said construction had also increased in the country, with more private construction than in the government sector taking place at present, boding well overall."All of this has had an overall positive impact on the economy as well as on trade, as more equipment and material has been brought into the country."Hoffmann said other positive developments included increased green energy projects in the country and offshore oil exploration south of Lüderitz . "There is also talk of several mining projects, and all of this has contributed to an overall positive atmosphere boosting the economy," he said.Oil exploration off the Namibian coast has created a lot of international interest. "We are also seeing an increase in freight forwarding companies specialising in the oil and gas sector opening offices in Namibia," said Hoffman.He emphasised that thanks to the country's remarkable infrastructure, cargo transportation posed fewer obstacles than many other African nations, sparking increased interest. "While we face familiar global challenges such as vessel delays, port congestion, Red Sea issues, and regional conf licts, Namibia is positioning itself as a key player in the oil, gas, and mining industries, offering promising opportunities."
