Walvis Bay logistics hub takes shape

The Walvis Bay
Corridor Group
(WBCG) has begun
implementation of
its R13.73-billion logistics
hub development that will
speed up transit times and
offer shippers a wide range
of intermodal options.
These are the priorities
that have been identified
for African freight
consolidators as the WBCG
positions Namibia as an
alternative logistics hub
for the Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) region.
“The port of Walvis Bay
– which will open its new
container terminal next
year (2017) – has direct
sailings from Europe, the
Far East, North America
and the Middle East and,
with the development of the
land transport corridors,
the average time to market
to landlocked SADC
countries for goods from
those regions ranges from
two to six days,” said CEO
of the WBCG, Johny Smith.
He told FTW that the
planned port, road and
rail developments were
on track for the planned
launch of Namibia as a key
international logistics hub.
“We completed the
feasibility studies last
year and all the critical
elements of the project
should be completed by the
2020/2021 financial year.”
He pointed out that the
development plan was
focused on easing logistics
access to strategic regional
trading partners such as
Angola, Botswana, the
Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), Malawi,
South Africa (Gauteng),
Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“And we are looking at
it holistically – upgrading
roads, developing truck
stops, and establishing
relationships at border
posts to ensure fasttracked
goods clearance,”
said Smith. Railway
links to all neighbouring
markets were also being
established, and
should be completed
by 2020, he said.
This year, the
WBCG has started
aggressively
marketing the
logistics hub to
stimulate global
and regional
demand. “Our
business development
offices in strategic
locations such as
Sao Paolo, Brazil;
Johannesburg South
Africa; Lubumbashi, DRC
and Lusaka in Zambia
have gone a long way
towards growing our trade
corridors and we’ve
seen significant
growth,” added
Smith.
INSERT
Transport
leader for 2016
Johny Smith, CEO of
the Walvis Bay Corridor
Group (WBCG), was
named Africa’s Transport
Leader of the Year
for 2016 at the Africa
Cargo 2016 show held
in Johannesburg last
month.
Launched in 2008, the
Transport Africa Awards
comprise seven categories
where one category
centres on the individual
and the others focus on
companies.
“It is a great
accomplishment to
receive this esteemed
award. However, it is
important to note as
Namibia is transforming
itself into a logistics hub
in the Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) region, we
continue to focus on
developing infrastructure
and improving
competitiveness.”
INSERT & CAPTION
Positioning Namibia as
an alternative logistics
hub for the Southern
African Development
Community region. “– Johny Smith