New hazardous storage facility opens in Walvis Bay

The first Walvis Bay
warehouse outside
the harbour which is
licensed to handle and
store dangerous and hazardous
goods has opened for business.
The facility will help boost
volumes through the port
of Walvis Bay and along the
corridors to the mining areas
in the region, according to
Thomas Jonas, director of
Native Storage Facility.
Until the opening of the
new facility hazardous and
dangerous goods could only
be stored for a limited period
in the port of Walvis Bay
after which they needed to be
shipped to the consignee.
“With this new facility
larger quantities of hazardous
cargo can be landed at Walvis
Bay, which will immediately
reduce the logistics costs of the
different commodities.”
Permission to build
and operate the facility
has followed a “lengthy
process which involved
various ministries, local
government and the
municipality in Walvis Bay,”
he says.
The Native Storage
Facility site comprises 10
hectares of land.
In the first phase it has a
1 100-sqm warehouse and
facilities for the loading and
offloading and handling of
dangerous and hazardous
cargo, says Jonas.
Another 2 200 sqm will be
added within the next three
months, he says.
“Subject to demand, the
facilities can be extended to
cater for any size and different
commodities of hazardous and
dangerous goods.
The facility serves the
Namibian market, as well as
neighbouring countries such
as Botswana, Zambia and the
south of the Katanga Province
in the DRC.
“The Walvis Bay Corridors
are known for their seamless
and trouble-free transits into
the neighbouring countries,
and the routes are well suited
to handling hazardous material
as well.”
Native Storage Facility
is licensed and has years of
experience in the handling and
secure transport of dangerous
goods such as toxic, explosive
or flammable substances, says
Jonas.
Working to international
dangerous goods regulations
and standards, the
facility's services include
the arrangement of all
documentation and relevant
permits, secure packing,
storing, freight forwarding,
customs clearing and
transport, he adds.
CAPTION
The 1100-sqm warehouse on the Native Storage Facility site.