Lack of congestion entices Zambian shippers to Walvis Bay

ZAMBIAN SHIPPERS have started using Namibia’s port of Walvis Bay as a means to escape congestion at Durban port, and Manica Group Namibia is positioned to take advantage of the new business. In a development that no doubt will be good news for the Namibian Ports Authority, which has worked hard to encourage Zambian use of Walvis Bay, Patrick Kohlstädt, logistics manager for Manica Group Namibia, said: “It’s the congestion at Durban that is the problem. The traders are telling us this. They need their merchandise to fill their store shelves and they don’t want delays or interruptions.” Even the Zambia/Namibia border post is helping. In a showing that puts other SADC border posts to shame, truck passage is thirty minutes, both sides. “It’s smooth sailing,” said Kohlstädt. Cargo into Zambia is primarily fast-moving consumer goods – “furniture, towels, toilet paper, everything the traders need to keep their shelves stocked, and they don’t want any interruptions.” For the Manica Group, business is up this year, to Zambia and in general. At Walvis Bay the firm recently purchased a large warehouse facility to expand storage capacity with another 15 000 m2 under roof. MACS offers one southbound and one northbound sailing every 10 days at Walvis Bay while MSC also calls, but not on a regular basis. To and from the US, GAL provides a regular monthly service. There are also feeder lines to South Africa, Angola and West Africa. For Manica Group Namibia’s Zambian business, the future looks bright. “When you consider the activity going on in the mines in Zambia and DRC, there will be spillover from the traditional routes through Dar es Salaam and Durban,” said Kohlstädt. Like general goods shippers, however, it may be that once Zambian ore exporters discover Namibia’s ports, they may stick with the less congested facilities, which are also geographically closer.