K&S consolidates bulk handling business

Increase in feeder traffic through Walvis Kevin Mayhew KING & Sons Namibia intends to consolidate the handling of all bulk commodities through its sister company, Walvis Bay Bulk Terminal, which was acquired by Grindrod Limited through a recent 73% buy-out of API Holdings, the owners of Walvis Bay Bulk terminal. According to the branch manager of the company, Reinhardt Küsters, consolidating the handling of the seven major bulk commodities fitted well with the plans of the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) which is engaging business as partners in its drive to promote the port. “We are intent on increasing our role in the bulk commodities market of Namibia. Given Namport’s future expansion plans at Walvis Bay as part of the drive behind the Walvis Bay Corridor Group, it makes perfect business sense to consolidate the bulk commodities through the bulk terminal in the long run,” he said. Küsters says the port is also experiencing an increasing demand in feeder traffic for containers into and out of South Africa – particularly for lines such as Maersk that use Walvis Bay as a transhipment point for this traffic. In line with the overall objectives of its holding company Grindrod - which intends to make substantial investments in landfreight logistics over the coming year - Namibia will be no exception. Further developments envisaged for the Trans Caprivi and Trans Kalahari Corridors would assist in this process, he concluded.