The Namibian government remains committed to establishing the country as the western gateway for South African Development Community (SADC) countries and has shifted focus to the landside links as the new Walvis Bay container terminal nears completion, says Bisey Uirab, chief executive officer of the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport).
“There is serious support from government to invest in rail and the expansion of the Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek,” Uirab told FTW.
Upgrades planned for the airport include the expansion of the cargo facilities. Plans for a bulk port to serve SADC neighbours are still firmly on the table, says Uirab. “Good progress has been made on Phase 1, which is the liquid bulk fuel import terminal. It is due to be completed later this year, and we expect fuel imports for our landlocked neighbours to commence soon after completion as well.”
The building of bulk terminals to handle exports of coal, iron ore and other commodities are also being investigated and will commence once feasibility studies have been concluded. “On the Namport side we are ready to engage with potential concessionaires. It is a long-term project, and we are unlikely to see much more action for the next five years or so.”
Uirab believes that the investment into the container terminal and bulk liquid facility is already attracting interest in the port and the corridors serving it. “We were not taken seriously until we started building. Now there is a lot more interest in Namibia as a logistics hub,” he said.
Commenting on the perception that Walvis Bay is a high-cost port, Uirab said “it is a myth, we are quite competitive if you look at the whole value chain to both the east and west.”
Time is saved because of the quality of the roads between neighbouring countries and Walvis Bay, the efficiency of the port, and the relative ease of crossing the borders into Namibia.
Political changes in neighbouring countries and improved commodity prices are also having an impact on volumes. “I am confident that volumes have bottomed out. There has been a steady improvement over the past eight months,” he said.
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On the Namport side we are ready to engage with potential concessionaires. – Bisey Uirab
