Empty trucks travelling east from logistics distribution hubs in Windhoek present an opportunity for Gauteng shippers wanting to reduce overall logistics costs, says Bisey Uirab, chief executive officer of the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport).
“Walvis Bay offers the best service for time-sensitive cargo from Europe, the United States and Brazil. In the time it takes for the vessel to travel round South Africa to Durban the cargo would already be in Johannesburg,” he told FTW.
Namport is working closely with the Trans Kalahari Secretariat (TKCS) to further reduce costs and improve efficiencies on the trans-Kalahari route, he says.
There is ample capacity on the route for imports through Walvis Bay, he believes.
Namibia is a net importer of a wide range of goods from South Africa, which means that trucks are mostly returning empty. Namport and the TKCS are working with logistics operators in Botswana and Gauteng to provide one-stop services for freight moving both east and west on the corridor.
These services will help reduce the total costs of logistics for cargo owners in Gauteng, Namibia and Botswana, he says.
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Namport is working closely with the Trans Kalahari Secretariat to further reduce costs and improve efficiencies. – Bisey Uirab
