New Walvis Bay container terminal on track

Logistics companies

and shippers have

less than two years to

make the investments

and changes needed to take

full advantage of the new

deep-water container terminal

in the port of Walvis Bay.

According to Namibian

Port Authority (Namport)

port engineer Elzevir

Gelderbloem, the works are

nearly 60% complete, and

most of the civil, mechanical

and electrical works are due to

be completed by mid-2018.

But before the port can

accept its first 9 000-TEU

vessel the information

technology (IT) system will

have to be installed and

thoroughly tested, along with

other support systems and

equipment.

He says the slowdown

in the economies of

neighbouring countries using

the Walvis Bay corridors and

the port of Walvis Bay has

given Namport the “luxury”

to ensure that all systems

are fully tested before the

new terminal becomes

operational.

“Maersk and CMA have

already expressed the need to

deploy 9 000-TEU vessels to

Walvis Bay,” he says.

Once operational the new

terminal will be partially

autonomous, with a focus on

efficiencies at the gate where

pre-cleared trucks will be able

to move in and out of the port

with minimum delays.

Optical character readers

systems installed at strategic

points in the terminal will

check containers for damage,

and will track and trace

the movement of all

containers.

Final commissioning of the

new terminal is scheduled for

“mid-2019”.

CAPTION

The Port of Walvis Bay... new terminal scheduled for mid-2019.