Namibia’s success story of reviving the former fisheries-only Port of Lüderitz with bulk mineral cargo exports from South Africa’s manganese fields in the Northern Cape continues, with volume throughput well above what was initially anticipated.
In its latest newsletter, Quayside, the country’s port authority, Namport, reports that manganese exports have seen a significant increase for the first seven months of the current financial year.
In real terms, about 468 869 metric tons (mt) of manganese have been shipped for the April-October period.
This translates to a 44% increase from the previous year.
In total, exports from the port have increased by 33%.
Outside the reported seven-month period, exports remain solidly on track, with 90 000mt of manganese recorded for November.
Quayside reports that according to the Bank of Namibia’s September Quarterly Bulletin, “the increase in the sea cargo volumes was driven by landed cargo and shipped cargo that rose year-on-year by 19.7% and 6.4% respectively during the period under review.
“The shipped cargo volumes were boosted by the increased shipment of manganese ore from South Africa through Lüderitz harbour.”
