Namport will be focusing on increasing bulk shipments through the Port of Walvis Bay, according to Elias Mwenyo, Namport executive: commercial services.At the time that the new container terminal was commissioned in 2019, Namport said it would be converting the old container terminal to general cargo operations.The port reported a 9% year-on-year growth in bulk and breakbulk volumes between 2020 and 2021.Volumes increased by 360 189 tons to 4.4 million tons – which exceeded the tonnage of containers handled. Commodities included petroleum, steel, frozen fish, ammonium nitrate, iron ore, marble, ships’ spares, manganese ore, and f lat cartons, according to port statistics.The port has also started handling large shipments of sulphur and breakbulk sugar.More space for bulk cargo and vehicles will be freed up over the next year as existing leases expire. An increase in bulk is good news for hauliers as it provides a load to the Copperbelt.Copper exports through Walvis Bay are also reported to be increasing. Of the 4.4 million tons handled through Walvis Bay, 1.8 m tons (40%) were exports, 2.6 m tons (59%) were imports, and 34 709 tons (1%) were transhipped.Some of the growth was due to a shortage of empty containers, but the positive outcome was that the port proved that it could handle larger volumes of bulk, according to Mwenyo.
