Walvis Bay’s new container terminal is due to go online at 07:00 on August 24, according to Elzevir Gelderbloem, Namport project manager and port engineer. Operations in the port will be suspended from August 17 to 23 to allow for the movement of between 2 500 and 3 500 containers from the old container terminal to the new one, as well as the necessary groundhandling equipment. A number of rubber tyre gantries have already been moved. While the projections are that the port will not need further investment for some time, there are plans in place for expansion through more land reclamation on the sea-side of the terminal. “When the throughput reaches 65% of capacity, a new project will be implemented to again increase container handling capacity,” said Gelderbloem at a media briefing ahead of the terminal inauguration.
