Find government COVID 19 information at https://sacoronavirus.co.za
Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
Africa
Imports and Exports
Logistics
Other

Walvis Bay boosts cold chain capacity with new storage facility

15 Jan 2021 - by Eugene Goddard
An aerial map of the Port of Walvis Bay and its international airport (red pin) near where the new cold chain facility will be built. 
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

Namibia is on a drive to bolster its frozen food capacity at the Port of Walvis Bay with a new cold chain facility capable of storing 12 500 tonnes of exports and imports.

According to Robert de Villiers, acting managing director of Walvis Bay National Cold Storage, the R400-million development was commissioned by the Namibian Industrial Development Agency (Nida) in keeping with the country’s goal to enhance its fisheries industry.

“Our government has a policy to process fish on land but they can’t implement the policy because currently there’s no on-site freezing capacity.”

Existing cold storage facilities, such as they are, were not equipped to meet the country’s cold chain objectives, De Villiers pointed out, especially after the new port at Walvis was inaugurated in August 2019.

“It’s too small and you can’t get product out fast enough,” De Villiers said.

“The storage facility we’ll be building" – some three kilometres from the international airport west of Walvis Bay proper – "will be focused on first-world efficiencies.

“Although it’s more expensive to build, we guarantee getting a 30-tonne truck in and offloaded in under 30 minutes.”

The bigger picture of the 54 000 square meter facility's processing capability, De Villiers emphasised, was that Namibia would no longer have to export fish via Spain to leading Namibian fish importers like Brazil.

“We’ll be able to export straight to our clients in South America. We’re also looking at clients in Europe.”

According to De Villiers at least 75% of the facility will be concentrated on fish.

“However, we’ve also identified date and meat exports and chicken imports as possible beneficiaries of the new development.”

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in March, but could have started sooner had it not been for the disruptive effect of Covid-19.

“The company was conceived towards the end of 2019 after Nida approach us to drive this project,” De Villiers said, “but then the virus came.”

In the interim, available time has been used to make sure all angles are covered before Walvis Bay embarks on its next portside development.

“All the design work is finished, approvals are done, and we’re ready to turn the first sods in building the facility.”

Moreover, De Villiers and co have already identified that the new facility will have to be enlarged as soon as possible.

“Market potential necessitates ramping up capacity by a further 15 000 tonnes to 25 000. That will be a second-phase project we hope to initiate once the first phase is completed.”

Construction work on the facility’s first phase is expected to take 18 months.

As always there are challenges.

De Villiers said the current weighbridge would have to be moved to an area outside Swakopmund, some 35 kilometres north of Walvis Bay.

Irvaan Maharaj, SA-based business development manager for the Walvis Bay Corridor Group, whose responsibility it is to market the port and its logistical linkages, said the new facility would contribute significantly to the port’s potential.

Containers lost at sea a growing concern

Imports and Exports
Today 12:00
0 Comments

Expansion in East Africa, Northern Mozambique on the cards

Africa
Today 11:30
0 Comments

Unlocking opportunities for female truck drivers

Other
Today 11:00
0 Comments

Peppers exporter riding high after bumper maiden crop

Africa
Today 10:15
0 Comments

Lufthansa Cargo posts record earnings

Africa
Today 09:45
0 Comments

Airports company reports six-month loss

Africa
Today 09:30
0 Comments

World Bank and WCO add momentum to Sars’ trade facilitation initiative

Africa
Today 09:30
0 Comments

Apus set to sail this month

Other
Yesterday
0 Comments

BORDER BEAT: Beira seal backlog at Chirundu adequately addressed

Africa
Yesterday
0 Comments

Police pounce on R500-million cocaine haul

Africa
Yesterday
0 Comments

Lesotho temporarily bans apple imports

Africa
Yesterday
0 Comments

Global air cargo volumes recover to pre-Covid level

Air Freight
Yesterday
0 Comments

Qantas reconsiders Jo’burg-Perth

Africa
Yesterday
0 Comments

EU-UK border chaos fears loom

Border Beat
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Gauteng government reiterates its position to reject e-tolls

Africa
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Integration key amid sharp shifts in consumer demand

Logistics
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Insurance industry welcomes Aarto

Other
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Africa gets serious about maritime climate change interventions

Logistics
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Introduction of 5G timely – but limited in scope

Other
03 Mar 2021
0 Comments

Seals threaten Beira’s ascendancy

Africa
02 Mar 2021
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Southern African Ports and Terminals March 2021

Border Beat

BORDER BEAT: Beira seal backlog at Chirundu adequately addressed
Yesterday
EU-UK border chaos fears loom
03 Mar 2021
BORDER BEAT: Vic Falls border closure for cargo postponed
01 Mar 2021
More

Poll

Has mental health and wellness been a priority in your workplace?

Featured Jobs

New

Logistics Specialist

Rectron (PTY) LTD
Midrand
05 Mar
New

Customs Clearing Clerk

Tiger Recruitment
East Rand
04 Mar

Ee Sheq Manager

Lee Botti & Associates
Johannesburg East
03 Mar
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us