French line adds muscle in Namibia

Walvis Bay in Namibia is seen as “a strategic transhipment” port for Asia-West Africa services, according to Rhett van Zyl, MD of CMA CGM Shipping Agencies SA. “To support the growing demands in West Africa, where it represents the two lines CMA CGM and Delmas, the group opened a new agency in Namibia on May 1,” he told FTW. The subsidiary, CMA CGM Shipping Agency Namibia, is managed by Florian Nittscher, and currently has a staff of five. “But,” said Van Zyl, “that will eventually increase to around a dozen.” The port acts as a hub for the group’s Asia-West Africa lines (WAX and MIDAS) and for feedering in West Africa (WAF). Walvis Bay is also an entry port for three corridors, with main roads leading into a number of destination points in the southern sub-continent. The Trans-Kalaharicorridor offers connections to Gaborone in Botswana, and to Pretoria and Johannesburg. Meantime, the Trans-Caprivi links the port to Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the Trans- Cunene runs into southern Angola.