Namport’s extended facilities ready for business growth

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) wants to see the extensive cold storage facilities it has recently upgraded utilised by more perishable shippers from SA. Since 2007 Namport has doubled the cold storage capacity at its ports. Presently, the reefer plugs and refrigerated warehouses are mostly occupied by the catches of local fishing outfits and fresh-fish exporters. A company source told FTW that Namport was ready to make all necessary investments to accommodate grape and dried fruit exports from the Western Cape, should the need arise. At the largest port managed by Namport – Walvis Bay – a 9700m² reefer terminal can handle 256 reefer containers. The southern port of Luderitz has 72 reefer plug points available for cold boxes. Luderitz’s main cold-storage facility is a 2500m² refrigerated warehouse which is privately owned and operated. Working with a capital budget of nearly a half-billion rand this year, Namport is investing in further infrastructure improvements such as more mobile cranes, the latest of which is operating at Luderitz. The port authority is using its membership of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group to market its ports to SA businesses. Selling points for SA shippers considering Luderitz as an alternative to CT include the relatively storm-free Namibian climate, good infrastructure, competent and responsive port management and uncongested port facilities. The perishables business has room to grow at the ports. At Walvis Bay, reefer vessels constitute the smallest percentage of vessels using the port. Overall, port use and cargo volumes have risen steadily every year for the past five years.