In another first for the Port of Walvis Bay, Namibian company Native Storage recently handled the storage of the largest shipment of ammonium nitrate to come through the port. According to project supervisor Angelo Da Silva, the company handled the storage, receiving and the dispatching of the 4000 tons. Although the import of ammonium nitrate through the Port of Walvis Bay is not uncommon, this was the biggest consignment of the cargo to date to arrive at the port, Da Silva told FTW. Predominantly used as an agricultural fertiliser, ammonium nitrate has to be handled with utmost care. If mixed with a certain chemical agent it can become extremely dangerous. It is also used as a mining explosive. Destined for the Copper Belt in Zambia, the cargo arrived on a vessel from the Port of St Petersburg in Russia. Packed in 1.25-ton sling bags, it required 15 trucks and 120 trips to the company’s storage facilities east of Walvis Bay near the Walvis Bay International Airport. Da Silva said looking to the future, the successful storage of this large quantity of ammonium nitrate was good news for the facility and its capabilities. “Our outlook is very positive and in 2020 we will be expanding our warehousing and storage capacity when we complete the construction of the remaining two preapproved warehouses,” he said. “This will increase our storage capacity to 7 640 metric tons of ammonium nitrate and increase our total number of warehouses to five.” According to Da Silva this will allow the company to increase its market share significantly, not only because of its handling capacity but because it can ensure smooth transit through the Port of Walvis Bay to neighbouring countries such as Zambia. At the same time, he said, there was ongoing engagement with transporters and other stakeholders not only to ensure that all the stringent requirements needed for the safe storage and transport of the product were being met, but also to improve service delivery and turnaround times. “Our biggest challenge is delays as every truck has to be inspected prior to loading of the cargo,” he said. “We also have to ensure that each transporter is compliant with the safety and security requirements.” Another challenge, said Da Silva, was sourcing transporters who could handle the large volumes – specifically for transporting ammonium nitrate cross-border while also keeping track of weather conditions. “Transporters are not allowed to transport product in any adverse weather conditions – including heavy mist and fog due to safety risks.” Commenting on opportunities in the warehousing sector in Namibia, Da Silva said there was definitely a demand for storage of ammonium nitrate, a growing commodity being imported through the Port of Walvis Bay for Namibia and the various neighbouring countries’ mining sectors.
INSERT: Expansion in 2020 will increase our storage capacity to 7 640 metric tons of ammonium nitrate. “ – Angelo Da Silva
