Road freight becomes more competitive

An increase in copper

exports through the

port of Walvis Bay is

helping to reduce the

overall logistics cost of importing

through the port, according to

Neill Thompson, Namibian branch

manager of Bolloré Africa Logistics.

“We are seeing shippers who

are currently using Dar es Salaam

testing the waters on the Walvis Bay

Corridor,” he says.

There is also an increase in

the volumes of timber from the

Democratic Republic of Congo

moving through the port.

This growth in traffic has a

positive effect on rates as hauliers

are willing to negotiate in order to

avoid having an empty return leg,

he says.

Pressure on commodities prices

will encourage more cargo owners

and shippers to move freight

through Walvis Bay once they

understand the savings.

“It is US$2 000 cheaper per

container on the landside to use

Walvis Bay compared to other ports

in the region.

“Walvis Bay also offers much

shorter transit times to the major

destinations,” he says.

Bolloré Africa Logistics is being

rebranded to Bolloré Logistics

from July 1, 2016.

This new name confirms

the commitment of its longstanding

shareholder – the

Bolloré Group – to the

transport and logistics

sector, according to the

company.

There will be

four business

units,

namely

Bolloré

Logistics, Bolloré Ports, Bolloré

Railways and Bolloré Energy.

Bolloré Logistics has the most

extensive integrated logistics

network in Africa with 23 500

people in 45 countries, says

Thomson.

It is also an African railway

concessions operator, with three

concessions linking five countries

and spanning

2 700km of track.

Bolloré Ports

operates 21 harbour

concessions and

16 container

terminals

around the

world.