Major investments by the Namibian Government and partnership deals with the private sector are aimed at upgrading the country’s port and transport infrastructure.
These are designed to position Namibia as a competitive regional cargo hub and logistics centre for sub-Saharan Africa.
Main strategic elements in the plans are a second container terminal at Walvis Bay, the building of a new railway link with Botswana and expansion of the Walvis Bay logistics corridor – consisting of the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, Trans-Cunene and Trans-Oranje links.
Namibian president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was quoted in the press, saying: “The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) is a strategic economic asset for this country and the NA$3 billion (R3bn) expansion project is part of a long-term goal to improve our infrastructure and promote intra-regional trade.”
The new Namport Container Terminal (NCT) in the Port of Walvis Bay is being developed on 40 hectares of land, and will add 600 metres of quay to the port’s existing 1 500m of wharfage. This will increase its overall container-handling capacity to just over one million TEUs a year, compared to its current design throughput of 350 000 to 400 000 TEUs per annum.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a sovereign guaranteed loan worth R2.9bn with Namport late in 2013.
The terminal is being built by China Harbor Engineering Company.
Added to that, AfDB has advanced about R2.3 million to the Namibian Government to support and encourage companies to invest in the infrastructure and systems.
Namibia aims at being regional cargo hub
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