Trans-Oranje Corridor boosts Lüderitz and Ariamsvlei

Details remain sketchy but the Port of Lüderitz and the border town of Ariamsvlei are set to experience strong growth through the bulk rail transportation of manganese from South Africa to Namibia’s southernmost harbour. This comes after initial environmental concerns from the community of Lüderitz almost scuppered TransNamib and Namport’s plans to revive the once dormant Trans-Oranje Corridor (TOC) to the Northern Cape. But commitments made towards safely storing ore from the Tshipi Borwa mine between Hotazel and Kathu in the Kalahari’s manganese basin is resulting in the construction of specialised warehousing facilities in both Lüderitz and Ariamsvlei. Last week it was reported that the Walvis Bay Corridor Group is making significant strides in marketing the recently reopened line, much of it newly built and with vast sections reclaimed from the southern Namib Desert. And with an initial successful shipment of 30 000 tonnes of manganese having left the port, interest in the TOC and its spin-off facilities is fast gaining traction. A reliable source told FTW that all the relevant documentation was in place and that construction of the warehouses in Lüderitz and Ariamsvlei was under way. And although he was reluctant to divulge salient details pertaining to size and cost, he added that the warehouses in the two desert hamlets should be complete early next year.