“Walvis Bay and the Walvis Bay corridors are open for business” – that is the message the Walvis Bay Corridor Group is telling the rest of the region and the world, says Gilbert Boois, projects manager at the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG).One of the impacts of Covid-19 was the absence of face-to-face meetings with existing and potential users of the corridors and port, he told Freight News.The latter part of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 have seen the WBCG team travelling widely throughout neighbouring countries and attending an international show in Dubai to inform cargo owners and freight forwarders about the advantages of using the routes through Namibia.Asked about the possible impact on the role of the WBCG of the concessioning of the new container terminal in Walvis Bay, Boois said “our key focus is on trade facilitation. “This role will become even more important as the concessionaire will want and need to attract higher transit volumes.“Our WBCG network in SADC will add value to their marketing efforts.”Another way in which the WBCG helps promote traffic through Walvis Bay is by informing government policy across the region.The WBCG is also mandated to implement the logistics master plan of the Namibian government.This includes the establishment of inland hubs and the promotion of value-added logistics on the WBCG routes.It will need to be updated to incorporate the impact of confirmed oil reserves off the coast and government plans for green hydrogen. The wellness service for truck drivers run by the WBCG is contributing to the overall safety and efficiency of the corridors.
