Walvis Bay initiative could create model for other corridors

KEVIN MAYHEW
THE SOUTH African Department of Transport (DoT) has welcomed the recent initiative by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) to place the management of the Trans Kalahari Corridor in the hands of Grindrod. Chief director, eastern corridors for the DoT, Mawethu Vilana, said that models that would achieve efficiencies and lead to the greater competitiveness of local industry were welcomed. Last week Grindrod executive director, John Jones, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the chairman of WBCG and managing director of Namport, Sebby Kankondi, which should reduce transit costs and times for cargo moving from or to Europe and the Americas. Transit times could be cut by four days. “If we look at the western corridor to Walvis and the model works then there is no reason for the South African government to create another management structure. We will support it and if it becomes a model for us to use on other corridors we will see it as a healthy contribution to the common aims of the freight sector of South Africa,” he said. In terms of the memorandum, Grindrod has undertaken to perform the logistics management and marketing function for the corridor, supported by the WBCG. “Grindrod will harness the services of shipping lines, Namport, Transnamib, road hauliers and clearing and forwarding agents to manage the movement of cargo between the port in Walvis Bay and the final destination or origin in Botswana or Gauteng,” said Jones at the signing ceremony held in Johannesburg. He added that key enablers of this process were integrated IT systems and skilled logistics operators. Kankondi said the agreement would benefit both parties in that Grindrod brought increasing volumes to the corridor and in turn would benefit from gaining exposure to a new market.