Specialist Namibian operator caters for superloads

Specialist company African Route Clearance Consultants (ARC) is opening an office in Windhoek to cater for the growth in ‘superload’ traffic in Namibia. ARC already has engineers registered with the Namibian Institute of Engineers, and also retains the services of a Namibian citizen and Namibianregistered engineer to maintain a permanent presence in Namibia. “The major opportunities offered by the corridor routes are that road conditions in Namibia are very good with flat terrain and minimal traffic volumes. Combined with the professional working relationship with the various authorities, the Namibian option for travel through Namibia to the SADC region is potentially a winner,” says managing director Phil Warren. ARC is an associate member of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group. Its team of consulting engineers specialises in loads of more than 125 tons GVM, or a load height of more than 4.3 metres, or width greater than 3.5 metres. ARC has handled the route clearance for individual loads of up to 187 tons in Namibia and 450 tons in South Africa. The biggest challenge facing the abnormal load industry in Namibia is the bridge structure at Divundu on the Trans Kalahari highway, which has a 60 ton GVM limitation, he says. “We understand this bridge is currently being upgraded but until this is completed superloads originating from Walvis Bay have to go via Botswana resulting in increased transport time and costs because of the distance, logistics and permit applications in Botswana,” he says. Route clearance services include the identification of routes, measurement of width and height limitations along the route, analysis of bridge and culvert structures, load stability checks, as well as liaison with utility providers, the Namibian police, local municipalities and consultants and contractors involved in any road or bridge construction projects along the route. “These services are carried out in order to ensure preservation of the national road and bridge infrastructure, as well as to pre-clear routes for height, width and geometric ability to accommodate abnormally sized loads and the vehicle combinations required to transport these,” he says.